A ray of hope for Moolampilly evictees

KOCHI: At last, there seems to be a ray of hope for Moolampilly evictees. Revenue Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan has declared that the state government would expedite the implementation of Moolampilly package. The families evicted from Moolampilly for the International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT) Vallarpadom hope that they will get proper rehabilitation this time. "We have been struggling for the last three years. We expect that the new government will implement the rehabilitation package immediately," said P I Celestine, convenor, Moolampilly Action Council.The Revenue Minister will visit Moolampilly on May 31 to take stock of the situation. "The Revenue Minister will have a meeting with the Chief Minister on June 11. There will be a final decision on how the package should be implemented soon," District Collector P I Sheik Pareed said. About 326 families will get the benefit of the package. It was in 2006 that the revenue authorities evicted the residents for the project. Ten families were not ready to accept the amount offered by the District Level Purchase Committee (DLPC) and move from their houses. They insisted that they should get proper rehabilitation before moving out of their houses. On February 6, 2008, the district administration forcibly evicted them from Moolampilly and acquired land for the project. Then the evictees started the strike demanding rehabilitation package.  On the 45th day of the strike, the state government declared the Moolampilly package. According to the package, the evictees are entitled for alternative land, amount for constructing house and road, water and electricity connectivity to the land. One member from each family will be offered job in ICCT as well.  "Though the government allotted the marshy land near the backwaters at Kothad and Moolampilly, it failed to develop the land to enable the evictees to construct houses. There was no road, water and electricity connectivity at the proposed site," Celistine said.