She gave it not out of abundance but out of paucity.
At a time when people are reluctant to give up land for major development projects, even for hefty compensation, 63-year-old Shantha Rajan, a resident of Thalavady in Kuttanad, has donated 1.5 cents of land from a paltry three cents of her land for constructing a road in the area.
Ms. Shantha, a widow, is not someone who owns immense wealth. She works as a domestic help to make ends meet, but her generous act is now set to realise the dream of 25-odd families in Ward 11 of the Thalavady grama panchayat of having road connectivity.
Ms. Shantha says she took the decision to donate the land taking into consideration the difficulties being faced by people in the area in the absence of a proper road. “There is a narrow footpath adjoining my house leading to several houses in the area. It is causing hardships to the residents. When they decided to widen it and build a road, I did not think twice about handing over a portion of my land,” she told The Hindu.
Under MGNREGS
Ajith Kumar Pisharath, local ward member, Thalavady panchayat, said a 300-m-long road was currently under construction between Madathiladathupadi and Kothapalli under the aegis of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Scheme (MGNREGS).
“She has handed over the land that she secured under the land reforms law several years ago. When we thought of widening the path, we were reluctant to ask her to give up the land. But, after knowing about our plan to develop the road, she conveyed her intention and voluntarily handed over the land. Otherwise, the road development would have stopped at her doorstep. She has done a commendable act, which will surely inspire other people,” he said.
Her generosity in handing over the land free of cost is also lauded despite the fact that Shantha, her two daughters and grandchildren live in a partially completed house.
“I hope the panchayat will lend a helping hand to complete the pending work,” she says.