Kalpetta: The survivors of the devastating July 2024 landslides in Mundakkai-Chooralmala, Wayanad, are set to launch a protest against the Kerala government from Sunday, citing delays in rehabilitation efforts. The agitation is spearheaded by two organizations—Janashabdam and the Mundakkai-Chooralmala Landslide Survivors Action Council—which claim that the government has failed to fulfill its promises.
As part of the protest, Janashabdam will construct huts in the landslide-affected region on Sunday, while the Action Council will stage a hunger strike in front of the Collectorate on Monday.
The survivors have put forward several key demands, including:
Allotment of 10 cents of land per family at Elston Estate instead of the 5 cents currently being offered.
Government jobs for the 17 individuals who lost their entire families in the disaster.
Use of the Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund (CMDRF) to aid survivor rehabilitation.
Loan waivers for families from the landslide-affected zones.
Naseer Alakkan, a leader of the Action Council, expressed frustration over the lack of government action. “We lost our homes and families in one night. The government had assured us 10 cents of land per family, but now they are only offering 5 cents at Elston Estate. We demand what was promised, irrespective of the location,” he said.
Initially, the government identified 242 families for rehabilitation as part of a township project. It had planned to acquire 60.41 hectares of land from Harrisons Malayalam Plantation (HML) at Nedumpala and 78.73 hectares from Elston Estate near Kalpetta bypass. However, the revised plan now grants only 5 cents of land per family at Elston Estate, while 10 cents is provided at the HML site.
Wayanad DCC President N D Appachan has extended support to the survivors, urging the government to also address the concerns of displaced labourer families from Elston Estate. “They, too, deserve a fair and compassionate rehabilitation process,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Kerala Revenue Minister K Rajan assured that the government is open to discussions to resolve the issues faced by the survivors. However, with protests intensifying, pressure mounts on the administration to take swift action.
