Latha Varghese lives among houses to one side of the Valiathura pier. For the past two days, the rough sea has been bringing in water into her plot of land, but on Sunday afternoon the harsh waves even found way into her house. Her brother-in-law lives in the house next door. His situation too is in no way better.
The first line of houses in the area face the brunt of the sea fury each time the sea turns choppy. But threat extends beyond and looms large over the second line of houses too.
“I have two daughters. I do not want to go and live in some overcrowded camp with barely enough safety or security. But if water keeps entering my house, what am I going to do?” said a distraught Latha.
As the minutes ticked by, water kept invading more and more of the coastal locality. A resident said the third line of houses would end up becoming the first if their houses were not saved. Mary Silvester, holding a grandchild, said there were four families living in her house, including that of her daughter, as their houses had been wrecked by the pounding waves.
The rains are not here, but residents fear their houses will not stand even till then. The authorities, they said, had turned a deaf ear to their pleas to take action. “We met V.S. Sivakumar, MLA, last month. We also Minister for Water Resources Mathew T. Thomas after we were unable to meet Minister for Fisheries J. Mercykutty Amma. But what good has any of that done?” said a resident.
It is much the same story in other places in the area - Alby Road, Fathima Nagar, Panathura, and so on.
Two days ago, seven families had moved into the Valiathura Upper Primary School that doubles up as a relief camp, but only four remain there, after three families were moved to a nearby BUDS school.
Still not ready
Families of Baby Joseph and Margaret, both sisters, said there was water everywhere back home. Each year, their houses would get damaged, and they would restore it and go back. “We have been here so many times before. Houses promised to us, we learn, are ready but are still getting delayed. So, we have no option but to live here.”
Thiruvananthapuram tahsildar Suresh Kumar said one house was damaged in Pettah village, two houses destroyed and three damaged in Muttathara village.
A camp had been opened at St. Antony’s School, Valiathura, and 20 families were moved there. Some families were also being shifted to the Fisheries Department godown there. A list of 51 families had been prepared for rehabilitation at the Buds school, but not all had moved there.
Poonthura and Cheriathura, he said, had not been affected much, though water was rising. “If there is any contingency, we will move the people to the camp at St. Thomas School at Pooonthura.”
