4 yrs on, Taliye still in shadow of landslide

After a massive 2021 landslide killed 86 villagers in Taliye in Raigad district, the government is yet to relocate the residents of four settlements in the danger zone

- Niraj Pandit

The name 'Kondalkarwadi' may have faded from public memory but for the residents of Taliye village in Raigad district, it's a haunting reminder of horror and loss. On Tuesday, a special prayer meet was held to honour the dead - 86 villagers killed in a landslide that buried the Kondalkarwadi settlement during a cloudburst on July 22, 2021. Tears flowed as the names were read.

As the living prayed for the souls of the departed, they also hoped for an end to the uncertainty that continues to rule their lives. Four years after being told they lived in a danger zone, the villagers of four nearby wadis or settlements in Taliye are yet to get the permanent homes they were promised, on safer ground.

Stalled promises

After the tragedy, the government identified four neighbouring wadis—Kumbhenali, Shindewadi, Charkarwadi and Madhaliwadi—as unsafe to live in. A total of 271 homes were declared unsafe, and the government assured permanent rehabilitation. In 2023, 66 homes were allotted to families who lost loved ones in the disaster, including 11 for villagers of Boudh Wadi, near Kondalkarwadi.