Wayanad: M Muhammed Nabeel and his family had a lucky escape from the massive landslides that devastated the villages of Mundakkai and Chooralmala in Wayanad on July 30. The fateful event destroyed his home and took his SSLC and plus-two certificates, but Nabeel remained resolute in his quest for higher studies and his persistence has now yielded results.

The Education Department re-processed his certificates within a day. District Education Officer (DEO) R Sarathchandran handed them over to Nabeel at a function held at Meppadi on Wednesday. P Paul Jose, headmaster of Meppadi Government High School and Deputy Collector Akhila Mohan, who is also the nodal officer of the relief camp, were present at the function.

Nabeel had cleared the Common University Entrance Test (CUET). The disaster struck before he could complete the process of uploading the certificates as part of his application to join Jamia Millia Islamia, a Central University in New Delhi.

Nabeel told Onmanorama that he is extremely grateful to the officials in the Education Department and the volunteers at the relief camp, which operates at Meppadi Government High School, for helping him tide over the crisis and continue his studies. Nabeel and his family now reside at the Meppadi relief camp.

Lucky escape
Nabeel's family, comprising his mother and sister, had moved away from the Chooralmala before the disaster. They had lived close to the river that has now engulfed the land. “It was raining heavily and the sound of the river was horrific during night hours when every other life fell silent,” Nabeel recollected.

The teenager was devastated when he returned to his hamlet, hoping to find his house. “The river now flows through the land where our home once stood,” he said. Nabeel had lost all hope of pursuing his dream of higher studies when he returned to the relief camp. But the volunteers, who came to know of his plight, alerted the Education Department.

The state government had issued an order that all lost certificates should be re-produced and handed over to the persons concerned. Wayanad Deputy Director of Education (DDE) Saseendra Vyas told Onmanorama that he informed the Higher Secondary Directorate soon after he learned that Nabeel had to complete the application process within two days. “It was only on Tuesday we received the application for the lost certificates and the same were made available within a day. It was the result of a perfect coordination of all allied units under the education department,” Vyas said.

During his visit to the landslide-hit regions, Education Minister V Sivankutty assured the survivors that all certificates including SSLC and plus-two would be reproduced as soon as possible. Many lost their title deeds and land tax receipts in the landslide.