Kozhikode-Palakkad highway: protesters demand immediate release of compensation to landowners

Kozhikode district action committee organised a dharna at the collectorate demanding immediate release of compensation to landowners for Palakkad-Kozhikode greenfield highway. 500 people from Olavanna and Perumanna panchayats participated. 540 people will lose property, shops and establishments. Action committee chairman said govt. put hold on compensation for past 2 months. People borrowed money for new houses, weddings, pledged property. District Collector assured issue will be considered in adalat on Thursday. Action committee threatened day-night family protest if not resolved.

The Palakkad-Kozhikode greenfield highway Kozhikode district action committee organised a dharna at the Kozhikode collectorate on Tuesday demanding immediate release of compensation to landowners who had handed over their properties to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for the project.

P.T.A. Rahim, MLA, inaugurated the dharna in which around 500 people from Olavanna and Perumanna grama panchayats took part.

As many as 540 people will lose their property for the project in the two panchayats, besides several shops and establishments. Action committee chairman K.T. Moosa said while the compensation had been distributed to some, the government had put a hold on it temporarily for the past two months.

“Those who are losing their houses were on a mission to find an alternative. Many of them had pledged their gold and borrowed money to give advance for new houses, expecting to pay up in full once they get the compensation within six months. Now that the compensation is being delayed, they are facing the threat of losing even the advance amount,” Mr. Moosa said.

Several people had set the date for weddings in their families expecting to use the compensation amount for wedding expenses. Those weddings may have to be put off if they do not receive the compensation immediately. There are people who had even borrowed money to take back their pledged property to hand it over to the NHAI, Mr. Moosa added.

Meanwhile, the District Collector assured Mr. Rahim and Perumanna panchayat president Shaji Puthalath that the issue would be favourably considered in the adalat to be held on Thursday. However, the action committee has threatened to go ahead with a day-night family protest at Perumanna if the issue is not resolved by Thursday.