Though plots were allotted to 104 families, only two could build houses due to marshy land
There is even a debate going on for and against the Silverline semi-high-speed rail corridor project, which potentially involves large-scale displacement, for other people from their homes on Sunday. Would mark the completion of a horrific 14 years of life without the resettlement of those evicted. Vallarpadam International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT).
It was on the morning of 6 February 2008 that 10 families were forcibly evicted from their homes in Moolaampilly for the rail-road connectivity of the ICTT. Since then, the day is celebrated as Moolampilli Day under the aegis of Moolampilli Coordination Committee, which has led the fight for evictions.
In keeping with the lockdown on Sunday, protests were held in Kakkar village at one of the seven resettlement sites on Saturday to mark the anniversary of the displacement. Although plots were allotted to 104 families at the site, only two have built houses due to the marshy nature of the land. The committee said that the Public Works Department (PWD) had declared the land unsuitable for construction work in 2019. Even two houses have developed cracks or slant due to which others are not willing to invest in the land.
The committee warned people not to get caught up in the lucrative rehabilitation package offered by the government to expedite land acquisition for the Silverline project.
So far only 52 families have built houses at their own expense. The rest live in temporary accommodation or rented accommodation. Of the displaced, 32 have died, some have committed suicide, without rehabilitation, while many have fallen ill.
In all, 316 families were evicted for the project. In a release, the committee urged the officials not to turn the rehabilitation package into mere scarecrows. The indifferent attitude towards the rehabilitation of the evicted people from Vallarpadam is unbecoming of a civilized society and will cast a shadow on all future development projects.
The resistance of those evicted under the committee forced the government to announce a rehabilitation package on March 19, 2008. However, that package is now being sabotaged. The enthusiasm shown during land acquisition could not be seen in the implementation of the package which, the committee alleged, was the result of political vendetta. Families are left on the street for protesting a political decree.