When the turbulent flood waters of the Periyar were gushing into the factory of Chaithanya Plywoods in Perumbavoor in the early morning hours of August 15, Sadath, the 26-year-old partner of the family-owned firm, was on a business trip to China. When his panic-stricken family informed him of the seriousness of the floods over phone, he switched on his laptop to examine the factory’s condition through the CCTV cameras installed at the facility. What he saw horrified him.
“When you see the water-current, you’d feel as if this is it. This is the end. Jeevitham munnottu ini illa ennu vare thonni poyi (I thought there’s nothing to look forward to life anymore),” said Sadath, who joined his father’s business after passing out of high school.