157 houses for landslide survivors in Wayanad to be completed by September 30, says minister

Construction of 157 houses in a rehabilitation village at Elstone Estate, Kalpetta, for survivors of the Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslide disaster will be completed by September 30, 2026, Agriculture Minister T. Siddique said.

Speaking to the media in Kalpetta on Monday (July 6), Mr Siddique said the remaining 62 houses would be completed by December this year. The government already handed over 178 completed houses in the village to the beneficiaries in the first phase.

The Minister said that the construction of a city health centre, public market and toilets has started and work on a children’s playground, anganwadi and material collection facility will begin soon.

“The government has disbursed bank loan assistance worth ₹ 5.58 crore to the families included in the beneficiary lists of phase-I, phase-II-A and phase-II-B of the reconstruction project. The amount was released after collecting the details of outstanding bank loans through a special adalat conducted for the beneficiaries. Further action to take over commercial loans will be taken as per the government’s decision,” he said.

Daily allowance and housing assistance provided to disaster survivors will be extended for another three months. However, families who have moved into the rehabilitation village will no longer receive house rental assistance, Mr. Siddique said.

He said that the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority will conduct a scientific study and prepare a comprehensive project to solve the waterlogging problem in Kalpetta town after the construction of the township.

A special meeting chaired by the Minister will be held at the Collectorate every first Monday of the month to review disaster management. The government also aims to restore agricultural land in the disaster-hit Mundakkai-Chooralmala region. Soil tests will be conducted in the affected areas and necessary action will be taken based on the findings, he said.

The demands of the residents of Padavetti Kunnu and Attamala, who are not included in the list of beneficiaries, would be favorably considered, the minister said. He added that the Harsham rehabilitation plan prepared for the survivors of the Puthumala landslide disaster could be submitted to the state cabinet if required.

Published – 06 Jul 2026 20:11 IST