Kalpetta: As Puthumala marked the seventh anniversary of the devastating landslide that claimed 17 lives in 2019, residents of the rehabilitation colony at Poothakoly staged a protest on Saturday, demanding safe, leak-proof houses and financial assistance to rebuild their lives.

Marking the anniversary as a black day, residents held a protest at the rehabilitation site, with many covering their mouths with black cloth as a mark of anguish. Several families rehabilitated after the landslide alleged that they continue to live in poorly maintained and unsafe houses, with some forced to use plastic sheets and other temporary arrangements to keep rainwater out.

The Puthumala landslide occurred on August 8, 2019, destroying homes and sweeping away several people in one of Wayanad's worst natural disasters. Following the tragedy, all 52 families living in the landslide-prone area were shifted to the Harsham Housing Project, established on land donated by a business group.

However, residents said the rehabilitation has failed to provide the security they had hoped for. Several houses in the colony have developed cracks and other structural problems, while roofs reportedly leak heavily during the monsoon. Residents alleged that poor-quality construction has left them vulnerable to rain and other hazards.

A Ramkumar, a former member of the Puthumala ward of Meppadi panchayat, said residents had been approaching various authorities for years, seeking repairs and measures to make the houses safe.

“Ever since we were shifted to these houses, we have been running from pillar to post demanding that the authorities repair the houses and make them leak-proof. We have held several meetings with Agriculture Minister T Siddiq when he was an MLA representing the Kalpetta Assembly constituency. Every time, he assured us that the problems would be rectified, but nothing has materialised,” Ramkumar alleged.

Ramkumar also alleged that the families received only ₹4 lakh each towards rehabilitation through an agency, in addition to ₹1 lakh provided as temporary financial assistance. Though the state government had received around ₹5,000 crore in contributions from the public for disaster management, no special development package was allocated for Puthumala, he alleged.

The protesters also alleged that no memorial had been built for those who died in the disaster and that the victims had not been commemorated in a manner befitting their memory.

Residents said the condition of some houses had become particularly dangerous. Two years ago, a portion of the wall of one house collapsed, seriously injuring a woman. The house has still not been properly repaired, Ramkumar said.

The monsoon has made the situation particularly difficult for the families. Protesters said water seeps through the roofs and walls of several houses, leaving them damp and creating electrical hazards.

“Electric shocks while plugging in electrical appliances have become common during the monsoon because the walls become wet due to water leakage. We are constantly worried about the safety of our children and elderly people,” a resident said.

Several families reportedly leave their houses during periods of heavy rain and stay with relatives or in rented accommodation, fearing that weakened walls could collapse.

Residents also alleged that they had not received adequate financial assistance to address their livelihood difficulties following the disaster. Many families lost their homes, agricultural land and sources of income in the landslide and have struggled to regain economic stability.

Hundreds of residents, including women and children, took part in Saturday morning's protest at Puthumala. They demanded an immediate inspection of all houses in the rehabilitation colony, urgent repairs and reconstruction of unsafe structures, measures to prevent water leakage and financial assistance for affected families.

For the survivors, the seventh anniversary was not merely an occasion to remember those who lost their lives but also a reminder that many rehabilitation promises remain unfulfilled, the protesters said.

The residents said they would continue their agitation until the authorities ensure that families displaced by the Puthumala disaster are provided with houses that are safe, durable and fit for habitation.