Keralam govt sanctions ₹2.46 cr for houses for survivors of 2019 Vaniyampuzha floods

The Kerala government has allocated ₹2.46 crore to construct houses for families displaced by the Vaniyampuzha floods that occurred in August 2019. Over two dozen Paniya tribal families have been living in makeshift shelters for seven years at the tribal hamlet in Munderi, Nilambur taluk, Malappuram district. The Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) officer Vipin Das Y. submitted the project for approval in July, which has now been granted by the government.

The respective departments have been instructed to proceed with the house construction and associated tasks. Land equivalent to what the families previously owned has been allotted to them under the Forest Rights Act. However, their rehabilitation has been delayed by years due to the process of assigning land. The floods destroyed numerous houses in the settlement along the Chaliyar river, compelling families to relocate to higher ground within the forest.

Many still reside in temporary shelters made of plastic sheets, lacking essential amenities such as electricity, toilets, and regular water supply. The hamlet's proximity to a forest exposes it to potential threats from elephants and leopards. Bridges that were washed away during the floods have also isolated the hamlet from the mainland, requiring residents to use bamboo rafts for river crossings for several years.

This allocation of funds for permanent housing comes after years of advocacy for rehabilitation. The approval is anticipated to facilitate the families' transition into permanent homes after enduring temporary shelter for a prolonged period.