Except for the cascading effects of the various flood reconstruction and mitigation schemes, the State Budget this year has little to offer for Koottickal, the flood-ravaged village on the eastern high-ranges of Kottayam.
The panchayat , which had been hit hard by the back to back flash floods in the Pullukayar in October last year, was pinning its hopes on an exclusive allocation towards its reconstruction. The local body, as per estimates, sustained damage worth over ₹100 crore with the flood waters washing away about 36 bridges and several roads , besides an array of houses on the river banks and standing crops in hundreds of acres.,
While the local residents always reiterated the need for a special package towards shifting those settled along the river banks, reconstruction of the roads and bridges, their hopes seem to be dashed as of now. But for the allocations towards reconstructing the Mukkulam bridge at Yendayar and a new fire and rescue station and a new bridge at Mundakkayam -- the major stop over to the high-range village, little else is forthcoming on this account in the budget .
The Panchayat council led by the CPI(M), however, believes that not all is doom and gloom .
“The region stands to benefit from the various schemes on flood preparedness and mitigation announced in the budget . A detailed plan on the reconstruction and development works will be made after assessing the exact share of the panchayat in these allocations and also in consultations with the local legislator, Sebastian Kulathungal. To begin with, we will be building at least three shelters for flood victims,” said P.S. Sajimon, president of the panchayat.
According to him, work on about 80 houses for the flood victims have already begun with the support of charity organisations while construction of 60 more houses is slated to begin by April .
“The panchayat will be able to relocate at least 50% of those residing on the riverbanks once these houses are built,” he added.
Sources in the Left Democratic Front pointed out that all flood-affected regions in the district would benefit under the ₹1,600 crore initiated under the Re-build Kerala project. “Devising a special package for just one or two local bodies was not practical. Hence, the budget has made a sector wise approach such as ₹92.88 crore for bridges damaged by the floods, ₹33 crore for flood mitigation and reconstruction of road networks’‘, argued a senior leader with the Kerala Congress (M).
