Three dozen tribal families of the Vaniyampuzha hamlet in Pothukal grama panchayat near Nilambur have been living in tarpaulin sheds in the jungle ever since the devastating floods of 2019 deprived them of their homes.
Their demand for land, houses and other basic facilities, including a proper connectivity with the mainland, has not materialised in spite of the interventions made by different agencies, including the State Human Rights Commission.
The Paniya tribal families of Vaniyampuzha hamlet living on the banks of the River Chaliyar off Government Munderi Seed Farm had abandoned their houses when the swollen river wreaked havoc along its way on the night of August 8, 2019.
Dozens of men, women and children had escaped nature’s fury by running up the hill into the forest. They have been living in temporary tarpaulin sheds ever since, that too in a jungle with a strong wild animal presence, especially elephants.
The floods had washed away the three concrete bridges connecting Vaniyampuzha and neighbouring hamlets of Tharippapotti, Thandankallu, Iruttukuthy and Kumbalappara with Munderi mainland. The government has not reconstructed the bridge, in spite of an order by the State Human Rights Commission.
“We are still depending on bamboo rafts to reach the mainland across the river for any purpose. Now we are used to crossing the river on the raft. But we cannot think of the risk involved in using the raft when the river gets swollen in the monsoon,” said Sudha B.K., an Asha worker at Vaniyampuzha hamlet.
The District Sub Judge had visited the hamlet in recent weeks following an intervention by the High Court. As a result, the Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) officials recently installed a bio-toilet at Vaniyampuzha and one at Tharippapotti.
But the tribal men and women living in squalid and perilous conditions in a marooned hamlet off Munderi are unhappy. “A toilet like this is an eyewash. Our requirements have been solid and tangible. More than anything else, we want houses to shelter ourselves, a power connection to light up our lives, and a bridge to cross the Chaliyar for reaching out to the world,” said Ms. Sudha.
A youngster from the hamlet, S. Gireesh, said that they were used to a general apathy from those in power. “They don’t care for us, maybe because we are not a vote bank. Yet we keep complaining to the authorities about our woes and problems. Foremost among them are the lack of proper housing and land connectivity,” he added.
