Wayanad: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday said all disaster-affected families of the Mundakkai–Chooralmala landslide in Wayanad will be handed over houses under the Model Township rehabilitation project before the next monsoon, as he inaugurated the first phase of the township.

During his inaugural speech the Chief Minister said the project was born out of a collective sense of brotherhood and the expressed wish of the affected families themselves to continue living together as a community. “Those who had lived together wanted to remain together, and the government fulfilled that wish,” he said, noting that people from across sections of society had supported the initiative.

He said houses for the remaining families beyond the first phase would be completed and handed over within a few months. 

Vijayan also highlighted that when Central assistance to disaster victims was delayed, the State government stepped in and took over the loan arrears owed by affected families.

The Chief Minister said the project had faced multiple challenges, including attempts by some to target the implementing agency, the Uralungal Society, in the name of the township, as well as disruptions caused by heavy summer rains. “Despite all obstacles, the project was completed,” he said.

Emphasising that a township meant more than just housing, Vijayan said the aim was to shift survivors to improved living conditions with adequate facilities alongside homes. He added that quality had been ensured at every stage of construction and that the government would consider providing essential furniture in all the new house.