THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will hold a meeting of officials of state governments, institutions and organisations which have come up with sponsorship offers for the rehabilitation of landslide victims in Wayanad. The meeting will be held in January 2025.
Addressing mediapersons here on Friday, Revenue Minister K Rajan said the first phase of rehabilitation will include 388 beneficiaries. The list will be published shortly. People will be given fifteen days to submit grievances on the first phase list of beneficiaries.
The state government is waiting for the court verdict to begin rehabilitation work, Rajan said. “The government is waiting for the court’s decision on the dispute over land for the proposed township. We will not wait for the central assistance to begin work,” he said.
The government had assigned an expert committee to examine the plantations which had expressed willingness to give land for the project.
The committee recommended nine plantations and the government selected Nedumpala and Elstone estates. An all-party meeting had approved the government’s idea to build a township.
Rajan said the land will be acquired under the provisions of the Disaster Management Act. The estate owners, apparently, approached the court because of their concern over the price.
The government expects a favourable verdict from the court without delay.
The government informed the court that it was ready to pay compensation to the land owners. The minister said 38 agencies have expressed willingness to join the constructions for rehabilitation.