The repair and restoration works initiated by the Kerala State Welfare Corporation for Forward Communities (Samunnathi) in various century-old agraharams in Thiruvananthapuram and Palakkad districts have given a major relief for the residents of Kalpathy and nine other agraharams here.
Though 50 deserving families would get financial help in the initial stage beginning Sunday, the project would be extended in the coming months to all the settlements of these people migrated many years ago from Thanjavur.
“From Palakkad district alone, we received over 400 applications for financial help. Samunnathi visited each household and found almost all applications are genuine. Most families are living in precarious conditions and the commission would provide maximum help soon,’’ said Samunnathi member Karimpuzha Raman who is also the State president of Kerala Brahmana Sabha. The heritage status of over 800 houses at Kalpathy has become a major hindrance now as they can’t be renovated. Even those who are financially capable to do repair works were prevented because of the heritage tag.
The repair and restoration of households having an annual income of less than Rs.2 lakh will be taken up under the scheme. The renovation would be conducted under strict government supervision. “Heritage is a way of life and not denying a dignified life to our settlements. A family with four children and three cents of land has no option other than constructing a multi-storey building to accommodate new members after the marriage of the children. We are not even getting permission to repair our tiled ceilings,” said Mr. Raman adding that the commission would soon address that issue as well.
“It is for the first time the poor in the agraharam community are getting such a privilege. We are hopeful that the assistance would be extended to more deserving families in the coming months,’’ said Santhana Gopalakrishnan, a resident of Kalpathi.
