ALAPPUZHA: As many as 24 flood victims residing in ward number 10 (East Chennankari) of Neelamperoor Panchayat in Kuttanad Taluk, who are living on the bund of Kozhichal North Paddy polders without proper water supply and road connectivity over decades, have been paid no compensation.
“We had applied for benefits thrice. Two teams came and went after snapping pictures of damages. We were told the benefits will be credited to the bank account. Even after a year, we haven’t got single pie except for Rs 10,000 immediate relief. Panchayat member has been saying for several months that our names are on the beneficiary list. We don’t trust her words ’, says Renju Ravi, an autorickshaw driver.
Presannakumara Panicker, 66, a farmer, turned out to be a cynic when he was asked whether he had checked with Panchayat officials about the benefits. He says he does not have time to walk one office to another in this old age.
'I had applied for the benefit under the Rebuild Kerala project. Some students came here and surveyed. None of them told me about the percentage of damage and benefit. When asked ward member about the fund some months ago, I did not get a positive response from her. So I lost interest in it ’, he replies.
‘I know many undeserving people from other parts of the ward have managed to get benefits up to Rs 1 lakh’, retorts Indira Mohan, a homemaker.
Jayasree, the ward member, rejected all criticism. She showed a list of beneficiaries. “I have told all of them they are on the list. They don’t have trust in my words. So they went on submitting appeals time and again’, she said.
District collector Adeela Abdhulla said there is no order either from government or district collector against revealing categories the beneficiaries are classified.
‘They are bound to know about their benefits. The issue will be checked to know the truth behind the matter. We have decided to settle the appeals within July 16 ’, she told Deccan Chronicle. "Work on 691 houses in the district are over."
