After a long wait, Mlamala village in Idukki has finally attained proper road connectivity with the outside world after the construction of two bridges, thanks to a group of high school students.
A letter written by these students to the Kerala High Court judges prompted them to order the construction of bridges in their village.
Two bridges, Santhipalam and Nooradipalam, connect the hamlet with the main land. However, the bridges were washed away during the 2018 floods. But within 5 hours, the local people rallied together to rebuild the Santhipalam. Unfortunately, the bridge met the same fate during the 2019 floods. Despite several appeals to government representatives for the reconstruction of the bridges, no action was taken.
A view of the Santhi bridge at Mlamala in Idukki
Finally, five students from Fathima Matha School, representing 1,400 students from Mlamala village, penned a letter to the judges of the High Court detailing the havoc caused by the floods on the bridges. Subsequently, a Division Bench led by former Chief Justice S. Manikumar initiated suo motu public interest litigation based on the letter written by Jomia Thomas, Anumol P.A., Dion Chacko, V.A. Vanidas, and Ahsana Mehrin of Fathima high school.
Following an onsite assessment by the district legal service society, the court directed the State government to allocate funds for the construction of the bridges. The construction of Santhipalam has been completed. While Nooradipalam’s construction is over, work on the approach road is ongoing.
However, Public Works Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas virtually inaugurated the Santhi bridge last week in a small event near the bridge, which was presided over by Peerumade MLA Vazhoor Soman.
The local people alleged that the government failed to acknowledge the students, judges, and community members who contributed to this achievement. As a mark of protest, a flex board, under the banner of Self Help Groups,was erected, featuring the photos of the five students with the headline “Kuttikale Ningalanu Tharam” (Children, you are the stars).
A view of the Santhi bridge at Mlamala in Idukki
Anumol P.A., one of the students who wrote the letter, expressed disappointment at not being invited to the programme. “The bridge became a reality only after the intervention of the High Court. Despite encountering numerous hurdles during its construction, we persisted and received support from the court. However, once the construction was completed, the students and the local people were marginalised. The flex board reflects the emotions of the local people regarding the event,” she said.
A flex board erected by local people near the Santhi bridge at Mlamala in Idukki. | Photo Credit: JOMON PAMPAVALLEY
Justin Chavarapuzha, a former panchayat member and native of Mlamala, said that plans were underway for a festival-style programme to honour the judges and students. However, due to the sudden inauguration event, which was planned without any notice to the local people, the opportunity was lost. The erection of a flex board near the bridge is in protest against the government’s behaviour. The panchayat, or people’s representatives, had no role in the construction of the bridges,” said Mr. Chavarapuzha.
