KOCHI: The rehabilitation package for Moolampilly evictees will be implemented in a time-bound manner, the state government said on Monday. On June 6, it will be 40 months since the 326 families were evicted forcibly for the Vallarpadom ICTT project triggering a widely-publicised struggle.The package will be implemented by clearing all administrative hurdles on a fast-track mode, leaders of the action council and the coordination committee representing the evictees were told at a meeting convened by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.Twenty-seven more families have been included in the rehabilitation package, and 12 families originally denied pattayam will be awarded the same. The 326 evicted families will be paid the rent arrears for 27 months at the rate of `5000 per family. Each family will also be paid `75,000 for the piling work for their new homes. The families will be reimbursed 12 percent tax earlier deducted from the compensation amount. "The government has promised that all administrative hurdles will be removed quickly," coordination committee general convenor Francis Kalathunkal said after the meeting. On the demand that members of the rehabilitated families should be provided jobs at the container terminal project, Revenue Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan and Union Minister of State for Agriculture K V Thomas, who were present at the meeting, agreed to take up the matter with the Cochin Port Trust (CPT). The state government also promised to withdraw all cases pending against the participants of the agitation provided that there were no cases concerning destruction of public property.In all, 183 families were evicted for constructing a road to the port area and 143 families for laying the railway tracks. The 326 families evicted for the project are from Kadamakkudi, Mulavukad, Vaduthala, Cheranelloore, Eloor, Edappally North, Edappally South and Kadungallur villages.Ministers K M Mani, Ports Minister K Babu and Water Resources Minister P J Joseph were present on the occasion.
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