MALAPPURAM: The construction of houses for 225 Adivasi families affected by natural calamities has stopped halfway due to non-receipt of the last installment of Rs 2 lakh. It has been seven months since the construction of the houses came to a standstill. The work was started a year ago. Rs 6 lakh is being given to build a house. Disaster Management Department will contribute Rs 4 lakh while the remaining Rs 2 lakh is given by ST Department. Of this, the financial assistance of the ST department is getting delayed.

The ST department had written to the finance ministry last July asking for the required funds, but no action has been taken so far. Adivasi families are worried that the construction of these houses won't be completed even before the monsoon season. They lost their houses in the landslide following the floods. Most are from Malappuram, Wayanad and Palakkad districts. Rs 6 lakh was allotted to buy the land. The houses to be built are 580 square feet each. The housing subsidy was earlier increased from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 6 lakh.

Rs 2 lakh is required for completion of cement coating, plumbing, tiling and painting. In many places houses are being constructed by Skill Development Multi Purpose Industrial Co-operative Societies under the Department of Industries.