Wayanad: Relief yet to reach tribal flood victims

Wayanad: Twenty-one houses in the tribal colony of Mechooli on the banks of Kabani river had been fully submerged during the floods. But many are yet to receive any relief money to rebuild them. They live in fear as the banks of Kabani are prone to floods.

"Only some six families in the colony have received relief funds as ration card is required for the aid, which many families lack," said K.K. Sanu, a field worker.

"No decision has been made on rehabilitation. Half of them are reluctant to move out of the place while others are half willing," he added.

Recently, the volunteers of a Kozhikode-based initiative, 'Arm of Joy,' had studied the situation and contributed metal cots, cupboards, beds, blankets and other household items.

 "The 2013 batch alumni of TKM College, Kollam, contacted us to help the flood-affected," said Anoop Gangadharan, trustee of Arms of Joy.

"Our help was small as three or four families live in a single-room house. The cots and cupboards were useful," he added.

"We raised about Rs.2.5 lakh and did post-flood relief activities last year, but it was localised. The district collector had appreciated our efforts," said an alumnus.

 "Relief funds are yet to be dispatched to every 600 out of 10,000 people and it is centralised from Thiruvananthapuram. National Institute of Technology has done a study on rehabilitation and the people will be shifted to different places accordingly," said collector Dr Adeela Abdullah.