A septuagenarian in Karukulam ward in Kizhakkambalam panchayat near here staged a protest on Sunday, alleging that the local body ruled by the Twenty20 outfit had failed to keep its promise of constructing a new house for her after demolishing the earlier structure in 2017.
Seventy-seven-year-old Eliyamma held the protest on her land. P.V. Sreenijin, MLA, visited her at the site. “She told me that the panchayat authorities had demolished her house for road widening in 2017. Despite repeated pleas, the panchayat samithi failed to set up a home for her,” he said. Mr. Sreenijin said steps were taken to shift her to a temporary shelter.
However, the panchayat authorities have rejected the allegations as “baseless” and “politically motivated”. K.P. Vinod, who had represented Karukulam ward between 2015 and 2020, said the panchayat had not acquired her land for road development.
“The house was dismantled by her sons for renovation. She had figured in the beneficiaries’ list for the government’s housing programme under LIFE Mission. But the panchayat has not yet received the nod from the government on her application. After taking into account her plight, the local body has been providing rent for her temporary accommodation,” he said.
Senior officials at the Thadiyittaparambu police station denied reports that they had registered a case in connection with the issue. “We are collecting further details about the reported incident that occurred in 2017,” they said.
