Kerala - Kochi   

Landowners intensify protest

– Photo: Vipinchandran

Addressing grievances: District Collector A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish trying to pacify the landowners who staged a sit-in in front of his chamber at the Collectorate on Monday.

KOCHI: Landowners protesting against acquisition of their land for the proposed Smart City project staged a sit-in in front of the Collector’s chamber here on Monday.

A group of nearly 60, including women and children in school uniform, had been camping at the Collectorate since morning to handover a mass petition regarding the acquisition of the six acres near the Infopark to District Collector A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish.

The six acres in question were part of the 20 acres acquired under the fast track process and had also been identified as the venue for the foundation stone laying function of the Smart City project.

The agitation began last week as the authorities started making arrangements on the land for the stone laying function. The police then had to remove the agitators forcibly.

As the arrival of the Collector got delayed, the protestors organised a sit-in in front in the corridor immediately outside the Collector’s chamber.

Things threatened to go out of control as a police contingent, including women police constables, reached the Collectorate. However, the police only made the protesting agitators to better organise themselves leaving enough space for the Collector to walk-in.

Mr. Hanish arrived on the scene at 3 p.m. and was immediately surrounded by the protesters. Emotional outbursts followed as the protestors, especially women accompanied by their children, presented their case before him. Pleadings and sometimes demands for a favourable decision rented the air. They also handed over the petition to the Collector.

The landowners mainly had three demands: either exempt the six acres from acquisition or provide them alternative land within the Thrikkakkara panchayat limits or fix good value for their land.

The Collector said that the six acres had already become State government’s property. He said that they could lodge individual complaints till Saturday and that he would examine them. However, he declined to give them any assurance but only said that he would present their case before the government for favourable consideration.

The Collector explained that they were not entitled to rehabilitation package, as there were no houses or other constructions on the six acres.

Responding to this, the protestors said that they should not be punished simply because they did not have any buildings on their land. “We always wanted to build houses on our land,” one of them said.

Women were heard saying that the land was their only savings for their children.

The landowners complained that a paltry amount of Rs.3,000 per cent had been fixed for their land. They alleged that though the Collector had promised to hold a meeting with them regarding land acquisition and related matters, it never materialised.

Meanwhile, arrangements for the foundation stone laying function progressed in the selected venue.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Foreign delegates visit Mayor of Kochi
Affidavit on parties’ land High Court Round-up
Government justifies suspension
Hearing adjourned
No end in sight to lorry strike
Maudany cautions LDF government
Fair compensation sought for Vallarpadam evictees
Public utility centre opened
Boosting trade ties with Africa
The Hindu-Young World painting competition
Committees for coastal protection
Landowners intensify protest
In Kochi today

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu