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Kerala Tribal Families Flee Homes, Live by Riverbank Amid Water Crisis

At least 24 tribal families from Plakkalchola Adivasi Nagar in Kerala's Malappuram district have been forced to abandon their homes and relocate to the banks of the Kanjirappuzha river due to a severe drinking water shortage. They are living in makeshift shelters under tarpaulin sheets, sleeping on rocks, and facing constant fear of attacks from wild elephants and leopards. The crisis has severely disrupted children's education and made accessing medical care a major struggle for the elderly and sick. Despite repeated complaints, authorities have failed to provide a reliable water supply, leaving the families stranded until the monsoon rains arrive.

Key Points: Kerala Tribal Families Relocate Due to Severe Water Shortage

  • 24 families relocated
  • Drinking water source dried up
  • Living in makeshift shelters
  • Constant threat from wild animals
  • Children's education disrupted
2 min read

Kerala: Tribal families in Malappuram relocate amid water shortage

24 tribal families in Malappuram forced to live on Kanjirappuzha riverbank due to dried-up water source, facing wild animal threats.

"We are living in great difficulty. At night, we remain in constant fear of elephants. - Unnimol"

Malappuram, April 22

At least 24 tribal families from Plakkalchola Adivasi Nagar in Chaliyar panchayat have relocated to the banks of the Kanjirappuzha river due to a severe shortage of drinking water.

A resident, Unnimol, described the acute water crisis that has forced families to move to the riverbank.

"With the forest stream (Kattuchola) in Plakkalchola having dried up, the families were left with no option but to relocate to the riverbank through the interior forest area of Pantheerayiram," she said.

She added that despite repeated complaints every summer, authorities have failed to ensure a reliable drinking water supply.

"The families, who have temporarily abandoned their homes in search of water, now spend their nights in fear of wild animal attacks, including elephants and leopards," she said.

Unnimol further said that pet dogs are often taken away by leopards at night, while the threat of wild elephants increases during the mango season. She noted that children's education has been severely affected due to the displacement, and elderly and sick individuals have to travel nearly two kilometres to access medical care.

"Within a stretch of 500 metres along the riverbank, all 24 families are living in makeshift conditions. They sleep on rocks under tarpaulin sheets, including infants. We can return to our homes only after the rains, but many houses are in a dilapidated condition and leak during rainfall," she said.

"At night, we have to watch out for tigers and elephants. It is very scary to sleep. Sometimes, a tiger comes down and takes away our dogs. When the mangoes ripen, elephants frequently enter the area," she added.

She said that even when it rains for a few days, the water is sufficient only for drinking, making bathing and washing clothes difficult.

"The children's schooling has been disrupted due to the water crisis. It is also a huge struggle to take sick people for medical help. Today, we had to carry my father to a point near the dam where we could find a vehicle. He was in severe pain," she said.

"We are living in great difficulty. At night, we remain in constant fear of elephants that come for the mangoes," she added.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Every summer the same story repeats in different parts of India. We have ambitious river-linking projects but can't ensure drinking water for a few dozen families? Shameful. The local panchayat needs to be held accountable for ignoring complaints year after year.
A
Aman W
The children's education getting disrupted is the most tragic part. We talk about Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, but what about these kids who can't even go to school because their families are fighting for survival? This needs national attention.
S
Sarah B
I visited Kerala last year and was amazed by its natural beauty. It's shocking to read about this other reality. The government should prioritize rainwater harvesting and small check dams in these tribal areas instead of just focusing on urban water supply.
K
Karthik V
While I sympathize deeply, I must ask respectfully - have the community's own water conservation practices been documented and supported? Sometimes external solutions fail because they don't integrate local knowledge. The authorities should work *with* them, not just for them.
N
Nisha Z
Sleeping on rocks under tarpaulin with infants... this is 2024, not pre-independence era. Where are our ASHA workers and anganwadi services for these families? This shows a complete breakdown of the system at the grassroots level. Very disappointing.

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