Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will lay the foundation stone for 50 houses being built by the Congress for the Wayanad landslide victims on February 26 at 2 pm at Kunnambetta in Meppadi panchayat, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Sunny Joseph said at a press conference here on Thursday.
He said financial assistance of ₹5,000 each would be given to 40 shop owners from Chooralmala and Mundakkai who had not received government assistance. The traders met Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi and apprised her of their difficulties after which help was arranged, he added.
A total of 3.24 acres has already been registered for the housing project and the registration of another 2.18 acres will be completed this week. The 50 houses will be built on 5.42 acres, with eight cents of land allotted to each beneficiary. Each home will have a built-up area of 1,100 square feet.
The next phase
In the next phase, five more acres will be acquired in Ezhanchira area of Meppadi panchayat to build 50 more houses, he said. Beneficiaries include disaster-affected families who were living in makeshift shelters, as well as those excluded from the government list for technical reasons.
Soil tests for construction were completed and water flow studies were also conducted in the project area. Environmental engineering measures and related technical procedures have been completed to ensure the homes are built with optimum amenities, Mr Joseph said.
The event will be attended by representatives of the Congress and the United Democratic Front along with eminent personalities from various fields. He argued that the easements granted when the government acquired the land were not given to Congress for the restoration project.
Published – 19 Feb 2026 20:38 IST