30 people crammed inside one small shed; More about Wayanand's neglected Cholanaikkan community

VADUVANCHAL: 30 people, including infants, from six families, continue to live in a shed made of plastic sheeting in a stranger's field. They have been living in this precariously built shed for seven years. These people, who belong to the tribal Cholanaikkan community, do not even know which poverty category they belong to! The tribal department officials deceived them, leaving their lives in jeopardy.

During the 2018 floods, when Kerala was gripped in fear, these communities were shifted from Parappanpara forest and taken to Kadassery in the 8th ward of Muppainad panchayat. They were temporarily housed on the land of a man named Faisal, a native of Koduvally. The shed was built in the basement, where Faisal had planned to construct a house. The tribal department officials promised the Cholanaikkan community that a suitable replacement would soon happen and asked them to continue their stay in the shed until then. No one looked back after that. Although 10 acres of land were identified for rehabilitation for 12 families in Illithode, Kadachikunnu, no further action was taken.

Six families are crammed into rooms made of plastic sheets and bamboo. Even a small rain can leave all drenched. There is no toilet. Adult girls, among others, continue to survive in the unsafe shed every day.

All six families have ration cards. But due to the large number of members, the rice and wheat they receive are not enough to satiate all. They satisfy their hunger by going to the Parappanpara forest, six kilometres away, and collecting tubers. While the adults go to collect forest resources, the children, including toddlers, live in fear in a shed near the forest where wild animals roam.

Simitha, daughter of Kari and Madhavi, who lives in a shed, could not continue her studies due to the cruelty of her classmates. The incident happened a year ago when she was studying for her B.A. at a college in Ernakulam. In the hostel, her classmates stuffed the belongings of other students inside her bag and portrayed Simitha as a swindler.

The ten children living in the shed are school students.