The Hindu : Kerala News : A blessing in disguise for mineral lobby?

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 09, 2005

Kerala

Kerala

A blessing in disguise for mineral lobby?

By Ignatius Pereira

KOLLAM, JAN. 8. The decision of the State Government to resettle people from the tsunami-affected areas of Alapad panchayat in new townships to be constructed on the mainland is likely to stir up controversy.

The thickly-populated Alapad panchayat is rich in mineral deposits. For long, attempts have been afoot to exploit the mineral wealth of the panchayat by resettling the residents there and convert the panchayat into a mine. The discussions then centred on Government agencies purchasing the properties from the owners. The talks, though informal, had always remained inconclusive on account of disagreement over the price.

But now, a large area in the panchayat will be available for mining. The Government has announced that no rehabilitation work will be undertaken on the western side of the coastal road that runs through the panchayat.

Though some are not averse to settling at the proposed township on the mainland, the majority have had second thoughts. All those listed for the resettlement programme have title deeds for the land where they resided.

People sceptical

And they cannot but wonder whether the tsunami has come as a blessing for the mineral mining lobby. The land will not be left idle once the resettlement is over. It will be mined and crores earned from it. "So what do we get from it?" asks an office-bearer of the Vysavilasam Karayogam at Alapad who does not wish to be identified.

The people say that either the Indian Rare Earths or Kerala Minerals and Metals Limited should be asked to acquire the land by compensating the owners. Such a deal will be justifiable, says Dinakaran, a fish worker. He says that his family has lived in Alapad for generations and it would not be easy for them to leave the place.

The people find it difficult to believe the argument that Alapad remains under permanent threat from the tsunami. The Karayogam office-bearer says that if the Government is concerned about people in the tsunami-hit areas, it should also be concerned about people living to the south of the affected area in the same panchayat. No serious effort is being made to create awareness among the people about the threat from the tsunami, he says.

If the authorities feel they can take over the mineral rich land for a pittance, it will not be easy, warns Dinakaran. He says there seems to be haste on the part of the authorities to go forward with the mainland township programme and this haste is making the people sceptical.

Unique culture

There are other problems too. The culture of Alapad is unique and it can be preserved only in the environment of the panchayat, they say. Their culture would die a slow death on the mainland, they fear. They are also apprehensive about the reception they would get on the mainland.

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