SOS from the fringes

New Indian Express

26-07-2025

Bonacaud, a remote forest-fringed settlement in the state capital, is grappling with healthcare challenges due to the absence of medical facilities.
Located on the edge of the Western Ghats, deep within the Vithura panchayat in Nedumangad, the area is vulnerable to human-wildlife conflicts, with wild elephants and bears often sighted.
The nearest government hospital is over 20km away, leaving the ageing former tea estate workers living here without access to timely medical care. In emergencies, help often arrives only after a minimum delay of two hours. This delay could be fatal, say the residents.
Selvaraj T, 62, a resident of the estate, had a near-death experience after a snakebite a few months ago. 'I thought I wouldn't survive. Another person was bitten earlier, and the only ambulance available took him first,' he says. 'I had to wait for four hours before I was picked up.'
He was first taken to Vithura taluk hospital, from where he was referred to the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College. He spent three days in the ICU and incurred an expense of Rs 30,000.
Selvaraj is among the 180 families, mostly elderly, who reside at the estate. The residents have submitted a representation to the district collector and the Vithura panchayat, demanding a health sub-centre or a primary health centre in the area.
Once a flourishing British-era plantation known as Bonaccord, Bonacaud was a hub of activity and employment for hundreds of workers, many of whom had migrated from Tamil Nadu.
Established in the 19th century, the estate remained a major tea producer until its decline in the late 20th century, culminating in the factory's closure in 2000.