First phase of Wayanad landslide rehab township to be inaugurated on February 25

In a defining moment for the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government at the fag end of its tenure, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan took to Facebook to announce that the first phase of the Kalpetta township, built specifically for the survivors of the Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslides disaster in Wayanad district, will be inaugurated on February 25.

​With the State bracing for the Assembly elections, the announcement also revealed the Chief Minister demonstrating the LDF’s governance by delivery. The Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslide was a generational catastrophe that could have easily become an albatross around the neck of the incumbent government.

Instead, the LDF government has transformed the recovery effort into a landmark achievement, building the new township on the Elstone Estate as the physical embodiment of the Kerala model of crisis management.

​In his evocative and resonant social media address, Mr. Vijayan framed the inauguration as the fulfilment of a “sacred pledge” and termed the project a triumph over those who “denied rightful aid” and “attempted to derail the mission.”

In the first phase, 178 houses will be handed over to the survivors. “Kerala is set to script a new chapter in history. This is not merely an inauguration, but a grand declaration of our resilience. The assurance given by the government to those devastated after losing everything in the landslide disaster is being fulfilled,” he said.

“Following the disaster, we resolved that ‘Kerala would stand united and rebuild this land.’ Those words have now turned into reality. This achievement stands as a testament to ten years of governance that reinforces the belief that a government exists not merely to make promises but to fulfil them,” he added.

Mr. Vijayan said 327 beneficiaries would be provided land and houses before the next monsoon season, ensuring complete rehabilitation. The construction of the remaining houses is in its final stages, he said.

Terming the journey to this achievement was not easy, the Chief Minister said: “There were those who tried to write us off. There were phases when assistance rightfully due to the State was denied. There were also continuous attempts to derail and discredit this mission. But the people stood firmly with the government. With that strength, the government moved forward, without retreating or wavering from its path.”

Mr. Vijayan acknowledged the contributions of government employees, workers, ordinary citizens, and well-wishers. The youth and schoolchildren also contributed in whatever way they could, he said. “With cooperation from all quarters, what we have built is not merely a cluster of buildings but a response to neglect and indifference. What has risen in Kalpetta is also a symbol of our land’s willpower and resilience,” he added.