Nearly five months after devastating landslides ravaged Kerala’s Wayanad, survivors are yet to receive the assurance of rehabilitation. The only hope for the over 500 families who lost their homes lies in a rehabilitation project designed to resettle them in a new township. However, according to the Meppadi panchayat representatives, the initial draft list of beneficiaries for the township does not include around 200 of the affected families. 

After the release of the list, the Janakeeya Munnani, a group formed by the survivors of the landslide, staged a sit-in protest on Saturday, December 21 at Meppadi against the exclusion of eligible individuals. The prepared list included only 388 families. 

Following the protest, the panchayat representatives conducted a meeting with the Deputy Collector and other officers. It was decided that the list will be renewed within 40 days.

“It has been more than four months. We can't afford to give more days to resolve the issues,” said Noorudheen CK, the panchayat member from Chooralmala (ward 12). 

Revenue Minister K Rajan clarified to the media that the draft beneficiary list is only a preliminary document, and the government’s primary objective is to provide relief to all affected individuals. 

“The government took five months to create a draft list. We waited during this time with positive expectations, but now we don’t know what to do. We have lost all hope,” said Yunas Puthanveetil, a survivor of the Wayanad landslide who was excluded from the list. 

While Yunus' house is not completely damaged, he said it is uninhabitable as the landslide swept off land as near as 10 m from his house, prompting his family to vacate it on the day of the landslide. For the last five months, he has been living in a rented house in Meppadi. Yunus' sister Aseena's name was also not included on the list. 

‘Elected representatives not consulted’

Speaking to TNM, elected members of the panchayat expressed their concerns about the authorities responsible for preparing the list. They alleged that these officials did not involve them in the list-making process and failed to consult them for verification. "We received the list via WhatsApp on Saturday [December 21] morning. We don’t know how the officials could prepare it without consulting the panchayat members, who could have provided accurate information," stated Noorudheen.

Echoing Noorudheen’s allegation, Meppadi panchayat president and ward member of Mundakkai (ward 11) K Babu told TNM that it was the Revenue Department that directly prepared the list, along with some officials of the panchayat. “They didn’t even consult the ward members of the three wards that were most affected by the landslides,” Babu alleged.

In Meppadi, multiple landslides occurred in the early hours of July 30, claiming over 400 lives. The worst affected wards of Meppadi Grama Panchayat are Mundakkai, Chooralmala, and Attamala (ward 10). 

The panchayat representatives pointed out several errors in the draft list. “We will not accept the list. In the 11th ward, 70 people were listed twice. This issue occurred in other wards as well. Additionally, individuals who lived in Meppady panchayat 15 years ago were mistakenly added to the list,” Noorudheen said. 

“There are three members of the same family listed in the draft, excluding other eligible individuals,” Babu added. 

‘List prepared by panchayat members ignored’

The ward members also told TNM that a month ago, they had prepared a list of 510 families to be included as beneficiaries of rehabilitation after consulting with all the survivors. 

“Last month, the panchayat representatives organised a meeting with the survivors. Everyone attended the meeting, including people from different political parties. We created a list of 510 people who need to be added to the township's beneficiary list. Then, in November, we submitted the list to the Wayanad District Collector DR Meghasree. We expected that the authorities would accept the list. Now, we understand that they didn't even consider our submission,” Noorudheen alleged. 

The ward members emphasised that the situation concerns not only the 510 families but also another 37 families who were isolated after the landslide. “Although their houses were not damaged in the landslide, the roads and other facilities were damaged. In our list, we have included these 37 families as well, but they are not part of the main list of 510,” Babu explained. 

According to the panchayat members, around 600 families have left the landslide hit area and live in different parts of the district. 

‘Every day a struggle for survivors’

Babu shared with TNM the daily struggles of the landslide survivors. “They are currently living in various parts of the district, struggling to pay rent and find employment. Some individuals who were seriously injured are still in need of medical care, and their families are struggling to cope with the situation.” Babu also said that the panchayat is in constant communication with the survivors. 

Yunus described life after the landslides: “Currently, there are 13 people in my house, as my sister's family, who also lost their home in the landslide, lives with us. I had a supermarket, but it was destroyed in the landslide. I also owned a resort, but that has been shut down. I have no other work now.” 

Babu also stated his concern regarding the delay in land acquisition for the township project. “The Manathavady Diocese of the Catholic Church and an NGO have expressed willingness to build 165 houses for the survivors, provided land is made available. However, land availability remains an issue. Additionally, a few other organisations and individuals too have approached us offering to help build houses. However, the delay in the government’s land acquisition makes it difficult for them to proceed.”

This story was republished from The News Minute as part of the NL-TNM alliance. It has been lightly edited for style and clarity. 

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