Kerala floods one month after: Cooperation department to construct 4,000 houses
The department has sought details of the victims from the Revenue Department and the work is expected to begin by October 2
Published: 21st September 2018 02:29 AM | Last Updated: 21st September 2018 02:48 AM | A+A A-
Image for representational purpose only.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Cooperation Department will construct as many as 4,000 houses for flood victims, said Tourism and Cooperation Minister Kadakampally Surendran. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, he said the department will construct the houses with an outlay of Rs 125 crore with the association of cooperative societies.
The department will not source any technical expertise of any builders for the project. Instead, it would rope in the students from engineering colleges for its design and construction and the students will be given certificates on completion of the project, he said. The department has sought details of the victims from the Revenue Department and the work is expected to begin by October 2, said the minister.
The members of the cooperative societies have decided to donate their annual dividend for this purpose, he added. In another development, the state government has also decided to not allow any permanent structures on the banks of the Pampa. Makeshift buildings will be constructed during the time of pilgrimage and all the buildings will be removed by the end of the pilgrimage season, he said.
The Devaswom Department is trying hard to arrange all the facilities required for the pilgrimage at Nilakkal base camp on a war-footing where 2 lakh pilgrims will converge at a given point of time during the peak of the pilgrimage. The Tourism Department is also in favour of bringing in a new building rule for the hill stations. The uncontrolled and unscientific constructions have to be regulated, for which a new building rule is essential, he said.
He urged the Centre to consider the proposal of Kerala for flood relief package in a humanitarian angle. The Centre norms do not allow the state to seek a relief package in tune with the actual loss it suffered. There is a big gap between the actual loss and ‘estimated loss as per the norms’ which has to be bridged. At least the Centre should allow the state to seek foreign aid to rebuild Nava Kerala, he said.
