It was a rare experience for the tribespeople of Chaligaddah, a remote tribal hamlet on the banks of the Kabani river, when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, MP, reached there on Wednesday to listen to their sufferings and difficulties associated with the recent floods in Wayanad district.
The tribespeople told Mr. Gandhi that every year monsoon caused huge damage in the area. As many as 57 tribal families live in the Chaligaddah settlement. Collecting minor forest produce from the adjacent forest is their major source of income.
Tight spot
Occasionally they go for daily work in nearby village. But they were in a tight spot during the monsoon after the Kabani river overflowed its banks and many of their houses were damaged.
Last year, two houses in the hamlet were destroyed in the monsoon floods and received ₹20,000 as compensation.
This year, two houses were destroyed and the government announced only ₹10,000 as compensation. They said they were yet to receive it.
A compensation of ₹10,000 is quite insufficient for a house destroyed in the flood, Mr. Gandhi said.
Though 57 tribal families live on the fringes of the forest, the Forest Department is yet to consider them for temporary jobs as forest watcher, they said. They demanded that the government relocate them from the area after providing one acre of land to each family as it is a flood-prone area.
Flood-hit hamlets
The Congress leader also visited the flood-hit tribal hamlets at Ponzkuzhy and Neykuppa and their condition too was not different.
Mr. Gandhi assured them that he would be in the forefront to solve the issues and would use his influence as a Member of Parliament for the purpose. While interacting with the tribespeople of the Ponkuzhi hamlet inside the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, Mr. Gandhi said the tribespeople were the real conservators of environment.
Mr. Gandhi also inaugurated the MP’s office here.
