Kerala - Kochi   

Eviction along canal to continue

Staff Reporter

Corporation's rehabilitation package finds many takers

KOCHI: Eviction of encroachments along the Perandoor canal will resume on Monday.

The city Corporation authorities started clearing the encroachments on the banks of the canal on Friday following an ultimatum issued by the Kerala High Court.

Most encroachers have volunteered to move out from their dwelling places, making the eviction trouble-free.

The structures marked for eviction will be removed on Monday, Corporation secretary Mini Antony said.

Ms. Antony will have to be present before the court on Monday following an order related to the eviction.

Eviction will start from the Kallupalam area and an excavator will be used to remove unauthorised structures, said K. Renuka, Assistant Executive Engineer of the Corporation, who is in charge of the work.

A large number of encroachments are there and even pucca houses had been constructed in the area. Excavators will be used where they can be taken in. In other parts, labourers will be deployed to bring down the unauthorised constructions, she said.

The police were deployed in the area on Friday, anticipating resistance. They have offered to step in, if necessary, when the eviction resumes, Ms. Renuka said.

The civic authorities have issued a 24-hour eviction notice to all the encroachers based on the court directive.

The rehabilitation package offered by the Corporation, including Rs. 10,000 each for those planning to take houses on rent and 1.5 cents of land for the landless, have found many takers. Most encroachers have volunteered to move out accepting the package prepared by the steering committee of the Corporation, she said.

Free hand

Mayor Mercy Williams said the civic body had given a free hand to its secretary to evict the encroachments, as it was being done following a court directive. The secretary would have to face the consequences if the directive was not complied with.

Ms. Williams said the rehabilitation package would be in force till Monday when the deadline for voluntary eviction ended.

The Corporation had been helping people to relocate themselves by finding alternative dwelling places and giving money for taking houses on rent.

Some had accepted the boarding place provided by the Corporation in its building near the Paramara temple at Ernakulam North.

The civic body had helped people transport their belongings to their new dwelling places.

These facilities could not be extended indefinitely, Ms. Williams said.

For those who refused to move out, law would take its own course, she said.

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