Chellanam residents angry over neglect of their plight

The residents of the coastal village of Chellanam have expressed their anger over neglect of their difficult conditions following flooding of over 100 homes on July 19, 20, and 21 as sea waters rose and washed over the seawalls into their homes.

“It is a pity that the district authorities have not visited Chellanam to make a first-hand assessment of the losses suffered by the people,” said George Babu, a resident.

Chellanam is under triple lockdown to fight the spread of COVID-19 and people are not in a position to seek shelter in the relief camp opened by the district administration.

Their worries have doubled with the damage caused to septic tanks during the flooding. The people have begun to clean up their surroundings without any aid from the administration or outside world, said T. A. Dalphine of Pachima Kochi Theera Samrakshana Samiti.

He also criticised the administration’s lack of concern for the villagers even as the condition of the seawalls along most of the coastal stretches are in poor shape and when the sea waves rise high the water wash over the wall into the shore.

He appealed to the administration to delegate a team of officials to assess the damage and losses sustained by the people so that they can be provided with some relief even as the Covid 19 pandemic has brought all normal economic activities in the village to a halt.

Any delay in making an assessment of damages would only delay any help for the people, he said.