Residents battered by sea erosion in Chellanam seek compensation

Chellanam residents seek compensation for wave damage, facing challenges in relief distribution and temporary coastal protection measures.

After enduring relentless battering by marauding waves for nearly a month, which left many without homes to return to, residents of Chellanam panchayat have now turned their focus to seeking compensation for the damage sustained.

Affected families may now be eligible for higher compensation than before, thanks to a State government order issued this January to implement a minimum relief code for disaster-affected households in the construction sector. As per the order, various compensation slabs have been introduced by combining assistance from the State Disaster Response Fund and the Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund, based on the extent of damage and the topography of the affected area. The Land Revenue Commissioner and the State Disaster Management Authority member secretary had submitted recommendations for introducing the slabs with retrospective effect from April 1, 2022.

As per the slabs, families with fully damaged houses (70% or more) in the plains and high ranges will be eligible for ₹4 lakh. Those with 60%–70% damage will receive ₹2.5 lakh; 30%–50% damage, ₹1.25 lakh; and 16%–29% damage, ₹60,000 — in both plains and high ranges. Families with houses that have suffered 15% or less damage will be eligible for ₹6,500.

V.T. Sebastian, general convenor of the Chellanam-Kochi Janakeeya Vedhi, alleged that compensation often ends up benefiting well-connected individuals rather than those who are genuinely eligible and in need. He said that at least 10 to 15 houses in the panchayat had been completely destroyed, while around 100 others had been so severely damaged that they were uninhabitable for the foreseeable future. Besides, many toilets had become unusable after septic tanks were either destroyed or clogged with silt by the receding waves. There had also been a significant loss due to household appliances and utensils being washed away, Mr. Sebastian added.

Affected families have begun submitting applications for compensation at the respective village offices. Wards in the Chellanam panchayat fall under the jurisdiction of Kumbalanghi and Palluruthy villages. The village officers upload the applications online and forward them to the panchayat executive engineers, who will inspect the affected sites and assess the extent of damage.

Meanwhile, the relief experienced by sea erosion-hit residents of Chellanam panchayat — as the impact of tidal flooding caused by the full moon begins to wane — may be short-lived, with the next new moon phase expected to begin by June 25, according to the lunar calendar. This leaves the authorities with a narrow window of barely a week to complete the temporary measure of placing geobags along vulnerable stretches, for which ₹1.25 crore was sanctioned last week.

“Laying geobags across all the affected stretches is highly unlikely within such a short timeframe. The fact that the entire work has been assigned to a single contractor makes the task even more difficult,” said Mr. Sebastian.