Published Oct 24, 2026 | 1:14 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 24, 2026 | 1:14 PM
The Taliparamba MLA and District Collector at Usha's house. (Special Arrangement)
In her fight to buy food and medicines for her family, 55-year-old Usha, who is battling cancer, had little choice but to dismantle and sell the doors and windows of her house one by one.
When that was no longer enough, even the electrical wiring and switchboards had to be pulled out and sold.
Usha has been living with her two sons near Gopalan Peedika in Taliparamba in Keralam. The younger one has autism, while the elder one is now battling mental health issues.
The three of them were living in the dilapidated house that spelt out the family’s dire circumstances louder than words ever could.
Now, a coordinated intervention by the Kannur district administration has led to the trio being shifted to the Pariyaram Medical College for treatment, with steps initiated to ensure their rehabilitation.
Behind the bare walls and empty rooms of the house they lived in lies the story of three people struggling to cope with illness, distress and the loss of their livelihood.
With the family unable to meet even its basic needs, Usha had stopped receiving medical treatment and medication.
The family’s troubles had deepened after Usha was diagnosed with cancer.
Until then, they had depended largely on the earnings of the elder son. But watching his mother battle the disease took a toll on him. His mental health deteriorated, and soon, he stopped going to work.
With the elder son no longer earning, the family was left with virtually no means of support. The disability pension the younger son received became their only source of income.
It was in these circumstances that they began selling parts of their own home.
What now remains is a house that offers little protection from the elements, where the family continued to live till Friday.
Locals said attempts had been made to extend assistance to the family, but they had declined the offers.
Their reluctance to accept help, however, did not change the desperate conditions in which they were living.
The family’s plight has now prompted intervention by the Kannur district administration, bringing the immediate focus to their treatment, care and rehabilitation.
Taliparamba MLA TK Govindan and Kannur District Collector P Vishnuraj arrived at the house on October 23 and met the family. Following the visit, arrangements were made to shift Usha and her two sons to Pariyaram Kannur Medical College for medical attention.
Medical examinations have been conducted, and steps have been initiated to provide them with the required treatment.
The next step is to arrange temporary accommodation for the family at a rehabilitation centre after their treatment so that they do not have to return to the same desperate living conditions.
The District Collector said a task force had been formed immediately after he learnt of the family’s condition. The team comprises officials from the Revenue, Health, Social Justice, Police, and Women and Child Development departments, along with representatives of the Taliparamba Municipality.
The Collector has directed the concerned departments to ensure continued medical care, food, accommodation and access to eligible social security benefits, including pensions.
Municipal Chairperson PK Subair, Vice Chairperson Deepa Ranjith, Health Standing Committee Chairperson Pullaikkodi Chandran, councillors P Dhanya and T Balakrishnan, Taliparamba Tahsildar Sunisha KK, District Social Justice Officer P Biju and officials from various departments were also present during the intervention.
For now, the family has been moved out of the house where illness and poverty had taken away almost everything. Medical care and temporary accommodation are the first steps. Ensuring that Usha receives sustained treatment and that her sons have a safe place to live, along with the support they need, will be the larger challenge.
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(Edited by R Rajesh Kumar.)
