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Eighteen months after the devastating landslide at Chooralmala in Kerala’s Wayanad, the first set of permanent homes built by the state government was handed over to survivors on Sunday, March 1, marking a significant milestone in the rehabilitation process.
A total of 178 houses in the first phase of the government-developed township were distributed, with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan handing over the keys at a ceremony held near the township at Elston Estate in Kalpetta. A large crowd attended the function. Before the event, the Chief Minister, accompanied by other ministers, visited the newly completed houses and reviewed the facilities.
The 2024 landslide in Meppadi panchayat of Wayanad had claimed over 400 lives and destroyed hundreds of homes.
Speaking at the ceremony, he reflected on the emotional weight of the occasion. “Generally, getting a house and beginning to live in it are things that bring immense happiness. However, along with the joy, this occasion also brings back painful memories of loved ones who are no longer with us,” he said.
He added that the remaining beneficiaries would receive their homes within the next few months as construction is in the final stages. “A plan has been prepared to rehabilitate all disaster-affected families with their own land and houses before the next monsoon,” he said.
The government is constructing a total of 410 houses on 64.47 hectares, of which 405 are part of the township project. So far, 304 houses have been completed, and all units are expected to be handed over by April. The Rs 299-crore project is being implemented through an agreement with the Uralungal Labour Contract Society. Envisioned as more than a housing colony, the township is designed as a small, fully equipped urban settlement with modern amenities.
The Chief Minister also pointed to the challenges faced during implementation. “There were many obstacles, from false propaganda to denial of central assistance, from misleading disaster victims to court cases, even calls to withhold contributions to the relief fund… countless regressive interventions along the way,” he said.
Detailing the relief measures, he noted that Rs 17.2 crore was spent on monthly livelihood assistance for victims, Rs 13 crore was distributed as compensation, and Rs 1.3 crore as emergency financial aid. An amount of Rs 2 crore was allocated to support 21 children who lost their guardians in the disaster. Additionally, 858 families are receiving monthly food coupons worth Rs 1,000. He highlighted that contributions worth Rs 773.98 crore were received through the relief fund to support those affected. Contributions came from across society, and other state governments also extended support, with Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh providing Rs 10 crore each, and Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan giving Rs 5 crore each.
The CM also said, “This township was not envisioned merely to build a few houses for disaster victims, but to move them into a better living environment than before. Making it better than what was lost, that is the core principle of disaster management’s ‘Build Back Better’ approach. This township has been designed in strict adherence to that principle.”
Along with houses, the township has been equipped with extensive public facilities, including a community hall, disaster shelter, football ground, disaster memorial, shop rooms, a material collection facility, a check dam and water reservoir, 10 sewage treatment plants, an underground power distribution network, a drainage system, and a 9.5 lakh-litre water tank. Each house will also have a 2 kW solar power plant for electricity generation.
The township is designed in five zones with 35 housing clusters, each featuring a spacious central green courtyard surrounded by a 5.5-metre-wide road, with homes facing inward. These green spaces are intended for social gatherings, children’s play and even small kitchen gardens. Each cluster comprises eight to 20 houses, with every family allotted a seven-cent plot and individual land title.
The CM said all homes and public structures are built to withstand natural disasters. “Each house has nine 90-centimetre-wide concrete walls, reinforced with beams at plinth, floor and roof levels, allowing for additional floors in the future. Only top-quality construction materials have been used. Construction of each house was completed only after 58 different inspections, conducted before and after every stage, with strict adherence to standards. All inspections were documented, including video and photographic records, ensuring flawless execution throughout,” he added. Meanwhile, the previous day, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) handed over 51 houses built in the first phase of its rehabilitation project for families displaced by the Chooralmala landslide.
The keys were distributed at Vellithode near Thrikkaipetta in Wayanad, at a function presided over by IUML state president Panakkad Syed Sadikali Shibab Thangal. The first key was received by Sharada, one of the beneficiaries.