Promised a home under PMAY, Kali Mallan now lives beneath tarpaulin sheets

Bavali (Wayanad): For more than two decades, 60-year-old Kali and her husband Mallan had been living in a small house built under the PM Indira Awas Yojana scheme in Shanamangalam, Wayanad’s Thirunelly. The old structure had become dangerously weak, and the couple had propped it up with temporary support, spending sleepless nights in fear that it might collapse at any moment. At night, wild elephants often wandered close to their yard.

For years, their greatest dream was to have a safe and secure home. So when they heard that a new house had been sanctioned for them under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), the couple felt immense relief. Kali decided they would stay temporarily with their daughter Sabitha, who lived nearby, while their new house was being built.

However, now their old home has been demolished, and the couple now sleep under a makeshift shelter of tarpaulin sheets on the same spot where their house once stood.

They submitted an application to the Mananthavady Block Panchayat Office, along with the investigation report from the Village Extension Officer and a recommendation from the Joint Block Development Officer (BDO). They even handed over the stamp paper needed to prepare the agreement. Although the BDO approved financial assistance under the PMAY scheme, the impoverished tribal family is yet to receive any funds. The couple live in the ward of Thirunelli Grama Panchayat Vice President CT Valsalakumari.

The problem arose because there are two people named Kali Mallan in Shanamangalam. Both have the same job card number, which led to confusion. The PMAY beneficiary list included the other Kali Mallan, who had already received a house earlier.

“The mistake happened because of an error by the Village Extension Officer and the Thirunelli Grama Panchayat,” said Kali Mallan, who has lost her home. She has filed a complaint with the Mananthavady Taluk Legal Aid Committee seeking action against those responsible. Panchayat Vice President and ward member CT Valsalakumari stated that no instruction had ever been given to demolish the existing house.

Months after submitting the documents for the agreement, Kali learned she was not a recognised beneficiary. Mananthavady BDO KK Rajesh said the PMAY Awas software would not allow registration in her name, as the process is linked to the job card number.

During attempts to register her application, discrepancies were found in the Aadhaar number and family details, making it impossible to include the Kali Mallan in question — the one whose home had been demolished — in the beneficiary list. The BDO added that all relevant parties would be informed that registration could not be completed due to these inconsistencies.