Kerala - Kochi   

Protest continues at Moolamppilly

KOCHI: A day after Revenue Minister K.P. Rajendran said that a government order has been issued approving the rehabilitation package for those evicted at Moolamppilly island for the connectivity of the proposed Vallarpadam International Container Transhipment Terminal (ICTT), the islanders continued with their protest on Good Friday.

The protesters under the aegis of coordination committee continued their satyagraha at a pandal erected at Menaka Junction taking the protest to 45th day.

Apart from media reports, we had not yet received any formal information about the government order and, therefore, we were continuing with the protest, Francis Kalathunkal, general convener of the committee, said.

District Collector A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish said the district administration expected to receive the government order on Saturday.

The Collectorate reopens on Saturday after two holidays. He said as soon as the order was received, steps would be taken to identify land and rehabilitate the evictees. Already some land was at disposal for the purpose, he said.

As per an estimate submitted to the government by the Collector, Rs.2 crore would be required for payment of rent alone (each family to be given Rs.50,000 towards rent for the next 10 months) to those who would lose houses for connectivity in Moolamppilly, Rs.85.80 lakh for 143 families to be displaced for rail connectivity and Rs.1.9 crore for 183 families to be evicted for the highway connectivity.

Mr. Kalathunkal said the committee was prepared to withdraw its “present mode of protest” once it was apprised of the government order. “We are committed to move in tandem with the government agencies once we are assured of the implementation of the rehabilitation package.”

He, however, said the committee would press the authorities for the speedy implementation of the rehabilitation package. Though no signal was forthcoming from the government, we would ask the government to take us into confidence on the implementation of the package, Mr. Kalathunkal said.

Meanwhile, the protesters were gearing up to celebrate Easter at the Satyagraha Pandal. Activists of Infam were scheduled to meet the protesters on Saturday with all the ingredients required for preparing a sumptuous feast.

Besides the monetary compensation, the package proposes five or six cents of land to each evicted family depending on the extent of land they surrendered.

Besides, a member from each evicted family would be given job at the project depending on their qualification.

Even as rehabilitation package assumed centre stage, apprehensions persisted over the completion of land acquisition for the rail and road connectivity for the ICTT project. The deadline set by the Union government for completing land acquisition for rail connectivity had long expired and no new deadline had been set as yet.

“We are not using any coercive measures but taking over only land wilfully surrendered by the owners,” Mr. Hanish said.

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