Homemaker stages sit-in protest against panchayat project in Kannur, cites flood threat

Iritty: Fearing that a panchayat project could put her home at risk of flooding, a woman in Aralam staged a sit in protest on Friday, halting the construction of a retaining wall along the Poothakund stream.

The retaining wall is being built in connection with a senior citizens’ centre, coming up at Poothakund under the Aralam Grama Panchayat. However, Mammali Savithri and her family, who live nearby, allege that the proposed construction would narrow the stream and increase the risk of water entering their house during heavy rains.

A local resident, Kumaran, had earlier handed over four cents of land to the panchayat for the old age centre, which is being built at an estimated cost of ₹25 lakh. As part of the project, a protective wall is being constructed along the stream, one metre below the bank level, with a height of 4.5 metres and a length of 17 metres. Savithri’s family, who live on the opposite bank, have objected to the work.

According to them, they had sought details of the project design from the panchayat under the Right to Information Act but were denied access. Her son, Shebin, also claimed that water from the stream had entered their home on previous occasions.

Tension briefly escalated during the protest when some local residents reached the site in support of the construction, dismissing the family’s concerns as baseless, leading to a verbal altercation. A police team from the Aralam Police Station, led by a Sub Inspector, arrived at the spot and brought the situation under control.

Ward member K P Ajmal said the panchayat would take steps to ensure that the construction of the senior citizens’ centre is completed without causing hardship to anyone.