Evictees allege denial of access to rehabilitation site

KOCHI

KOCHI

The Moolampilly Coordination Committee has demanded that the State government immediately suspend the laying of the LPG pipeline between Puthuvype and Kochi Refineries, alleging that it hindered access to the rehabilitation site for Vallarpadam evictees in Kothad.

The committee alleged that the road to the rehabilitation site in Korampadam in Kothad for 15 families evicted from Eloor village had remained blocked for the past one week in the name of the construction. The construction of houses on the site by taking huge loans from banks has come to a halt owing to this.

The construction of houses should be completed before the onset of the monsoon. Though memorandums citing these issues had been submitted to the Kadamakkudy panchayat and the district administration, no action had been initiated yet. In fact, the authorities concerned had responded arrogantly, the committee said.

A protest gathering held at the site observed that the plight of the evictees amounted to a warning to all those surrendering their land for development projects. Francis Kalathungal, general convener of the committee, presided over the event .