Many of them had lived on the streets for years, surviving on odd jobs and alms. When the COVID-19-induced lockdown came without a warning, the city Corporation rehabilitated them at the Government Central High School in Attakulangara. But instead of remaining idle, they had cleared up the undergrowth on the campus and begun vegetable farming and prepared a garden, as a gift to the school’s students, which The Hindu had reported on April 4.
Now, the civic body has begun employing them on a temporary basis for sanitation as well as farming activities. According to Mayor K. Sreekumar, seventy of those staying here are being provided daily wages of ₹285, in addition to food and shelter.
“As soon as they were rehabilitated, they quickly set up a garden and a vegetable farm. The vegetable farm is now ready for harvest. After seeing their dedicated work, the Corporation decided to use their services in its activities, including sanitation and farming. Since we are taking up farming in fallow land within the city, we can make use of their services for the same. They will be inducted into the Karshika Karma Sena,” says Mr. Sreekumar.
223 people
A total of 223 people, ranging from the ages of 28 to 92, are lodged at the school. Some of them are physically challenged while some are too old to move around. There are those who came from other States to visit temples and got stranded, those who are forced to live on the streets owing to their meagre income, and even a few with criminal records.
