Mulankunnathukavu: For years, three Scheduled Caste families in Kozhippadam, near Ambalapuram, have lived isolated, their homes cut off from the rest of the world due to the absence of a proper road. Generations have had to navigate a narrow, flood-prone embankment through the paddy fields just to reach the main road, making even a minor illness or routine errand a dangerous ordeal.

The families of Parvathi, Velayudhan, and Chandrika, the daughter of the late Kotha, live on a property that adjoins the Peringandoor Ela polders near the Manakkulam–Aravoor road. These families, mostly agricultural labourers, have lived on this ancestral land for five generations. They have municipal house numbers, electricity and ID cards for every member. However, their homes remain completely cut off, with the only access to the main road being a narrow embankment running through the fields.

Even a minor illness in any of the family members becomes a crisis, as there is no way to carry a patient to a vehicle. During the rainy season, the fields flood and the floodwaters often enter these homes. The embankment becomes submerged and nearly invisible, and the residents risk falling into the inundated fields multiple times just to reach the road.

While local government services and several Scheduled Caste development schemes have begun reaching the beneficiaries at their doorsteps, these families have been left out. Elected representatives visit during elections, express sympathy and promise help. But nothing ever materialises.

The authorities often assure that the issue will be addressed once the rains recede. But after the rains, the timeline is pushed further until the end of the harvest season. Once the harvest is over, they visit the site, hold discussions and explore possible solutions. Yet, no concrete action ever follows. This cycle has continued for years, leaving the families trapped in helplessness.