KOCHI: It was three years ago that the authorities promised them a decent rehabilitation. But the woes of those who were displaced from Moolampilly for the four-lane national highway constructed for the Vallarpadam International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT) remain the same. The ICTT is ready for commissioning, but the evictees have not been provided the rehabilitation offered to them and many of them still live in makeshift houses or in partially demolished houses.
Anyone who visits the Moolampilly island can witness the pathetic plight of those who lost their house and property for a project which is of national importance. The ICTT is the first of its kind and is expected to reduce the country’s dependence on Colombo, Singapore and Dubai for transshipment. “We lost our home and property. Don’t we have the right to proper rehabilitation?’’ the evictees ask. Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan had promised them that rehabilitation will be provided within three months. “Though land for rehabilitation has been identified, it is not suitable for building houses as there is no water, electricity or road connectivity. The Chief Minister did not keep his word that infrastructure will be provided within three months,” says Joy Panakkal, who lost his house and land. Joy, a tailor by profession, is almost bed-ridden now. A portion of the wall of his house collapsed on him while his house was being demolished. “I cannot walk now due to the spinal injury I suffered. I stopped working six months back. Now my wife works in a textile shop and we live in a shed.’’
Though I have been allotted five cents of land, I cannot start the construction of the house as the infrastructure is lacking,’’ he says.
The land identified to rehabilitate the evictees needs clearance under the Coastal Zone Regulation Act since the land has been reclaimed. The clearance has not been granted yet. No construction can be carried out there without the CRZ clearance. The same is the condition of the other displaced families.
John Joseph who was running a carpentry workshop, lost his job when the workshop was demolished. Subhadra, another evictee, has not been provided even the ‘patta,’ just because she boycotted the ‘patta’ distribution function. Subhadra boycotted the function announcing her support to those who were denied
rehabilitation.