Accompanied by fellow MP P.V. Abdul Wahab and MLA Aryadan Shoukath, Vadra met residents at Munderi, where the displaced Paniya families have been residing in tarpaulin shelters for more than seven years.
The 26 families, whose homes were destroyed by the August 2019 floods, remain on a settlement that straddles the Chaliyar River, lacking basic amenities such as permanent housing and electricity connections.
Local residents urged the authorities to fast‑track the construction of houses for those who have already been allocated land and to provide reliable power supply to the settlement.
The plight of the Vaniyampuzha community came to the attention of the Kerala State Human Rights Commission after a September 11 report in The Hindu highlighted their substandard living conditions. The commission subsequently registered a suo motu case and directed the state government to urgently complete rehabilitation measures.
In its order, the commission expressed concern that the families’ right to live with dignity and access safe housing had been compromised by the prolonged temporary arrangements.
During the visit, Vadra also paid respects at the home of Billy, a villager who was killed in a wild elephant attack last year, underscoring the broader safety challenges faced by the remote community.
Vadra’s appeal adds political pressure on state officials to fulfil the commission’s directives, with the expectation that accelerated housing projects and basic services will soon be implemented for the long‑awaiting tribal families.