Forum seeks rehabilitation package for tribal families hit by Wayanad landslides

The State government should end its discrimination against tribal families affected by the Mundakkai landslides and immediately announce a comprehensive rehabilitation package, M. Geethanandan, State coordinator of Adivasi Gothra Mahasabha (AGMS), has said.

In a statement issued here on Thursday, Mr. Geethanandan said the rehabilitation of 13 tribal families who were to be relocated from Punchirimattam and Erattukundu areas had not progressed despite the inauguration of the first phase of the township project in the Mundakkai disaster-affected region.

According to him, the tribal families were excluded from the township project. They, he said, had also expressed their unwillingness to move away from their forest-based livelihoods. Considering this, the government had decided to allot alternative land near Chooralmala village under the provisions of the Forest Rights Act, he claimed.

“Funds for constructing houses and implementing other rehabilitation projects for the affected families have not yet been identified,” said Mr. Geethanandan. He described the issue as a clear instance of neglect and discrimination against a socially marginalised tribal community.

The AGMS leader also came down on the government and disaster management authorities for entrusting the responsibility of tribal rehabilitation mainly to district-level officials despite the announcement of large-scale township and rehabilitation projects in the area.

He pointed out that the nearly 500 tribal families in Wayanad who suffered losses during the floods of 2018 and 2019 and the subsequent landslides were still awaiting proper rehabilitation. The government should immediately announce a rehabilitation package, failing which the organisation would launch protests and resort to legal action, he said.