The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : ‘No clear plan for rehabilitation of Vallarpadam evictees’

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jan 24, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Kerala

Kerala - Kochi

‘No clear plan for rehabilitation of Vallarpadam evictees’

Staff Reporter

Coordination committee criticises district administration

KOCHI: The coordination committee for those displaced by development projects has alleged that the district administration was not yet clear about the beneficiaries eligible for rehabilitation land, and the extent of land to be allotted for families displaced due to the rail and road connectivity of the proposed Vallarpadam International Container Transhipment Terminal.

Francis Kalathunkal, general convener of the committee, said the district administration had admitted to the fact in response to a request made under the Right to Information Act.

Wilson V.P., one of the conveners of the committee, in the request had sought to know the extent of land to be allotted in Vaduthala and Korampadam for the rehabilitation of each of the families in Cheranalloor and Eloor villages, respectively.

The families had agreed to surrender their houses and land for the project.

Mr. Wilson had also sought to know the extent of land that would be compensated as per the price fixed by the District Level Purchase Committee.

Another query in the request was for an attested copy of the sketch regarding allotment of plots for the evictees that was decided through a draw of lot on July 19, 2008. On January 16, the Public Information Officer on behalf of the District Collector conveyed the inability to give the details pointing out that a final decision was yet to be taken on these matters.

Accused

The coordination committee accused that the district administration was going ahead with the plan to distribute title deeds for the rehabilitation of displaced families next month with much fanfare while even the list of beneficiaries was yet to be finalised.

Mr. Kalathunkal pointed out that the decision of the committee to boycott the function marking the distribution of the title deeds had put the district administration in a soup.

The coordination committee accused that readying of basic infrastructure on the rehabilitation land was progressing at a snail’s pace putting the entire rehabilitation process in jeopardy.

Meantime, the expiry of the ten-month period during which the evictees were eligible for house rent had added to their hardships.

Mr. Kalathunkal also said that the government had gone back on its promise to extend the Moolamppilly package to all the affected families displaced by the project as was agreed at a meeting chaired by Fisheries Minister S. Sarma.

It was on the basis of this promise that the affected families had given the consent letter to surrender their land, he said.

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

Kerala