Dreadful 14 years for Vallarpadam evictees
The Hindu
Though 104 families were allotted plots, only two could construct homes because of marshy nature of land
Even as a debate is raging for and against the SilverLine semi-high-speed rail corridor project that involves potentially large-scale displacements, Sunday will mark the completion of a dreadful 14 years of life without rehabilitation for people driven out of their homes for another vaunted project, the Vallarpadam International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT).
It was on the morning of February 6, 2008 that 10 families were forcefully evicted from their homes at Moolampilly for the rail-road connectivity of the ICTT. Since then, the day has been observed as Moolampilly Day under the aegis of the Moolampilly Coordination Committee that has spearheaded the fight for evictees.
Considering the lockdown on Sunday, the protest to mark the anniversary of the displacement was held in Kakkanad village on one of the seven rehabilitation sites on Saturday. Though 104 families were allotted plots at the site, only two have constructed homes because of the marshy nature of the land. The Public Works Department (PWD) had in 2019 reported the land to be unfit for construction work, the committee said. Even two houses have developed cracks or slanted sideways because of which others are not willing to invest on the land.