The 17th anniversary of the eviction of 316 families for the rail and road connectivity of the Vallarpadam International Container Transshipment Terminal was observed on Thursday (February 6) under the aegis of the Moolampilly Coordination Committee, which spearheads the fight for fair rehabilitation and compensation for the evictees.
The committee demanded that the authorities implement the government and the High Court orders regarding the implementation of the Moolampilly package. The forceful eviction of evictees from Moolampilly on February 6, 2008, is observed as Moolampilly day annually.
Families were evicted from Mulavukad, Moolampilly, Kothad, Cheranalloor, Eloor, Manjummal, Vaduthala, Elamakkara, and Ponekkara villages without any prior rehabilitation package, the committee alleged. The rehabilitation package, announced later, was only midway through its implementation, the committee alleged. So far, 39 evictees have died without enjoying the benefits of rehabilitation while many have fallen sick.
“The majority of families have been unable to build houses on the rehabilitation plots due to their marshy nature. The Public Works department’s (PWD) report in this regard has been ignored by the government. The government’s assurance to give the job to one member from each evicted family remains unfulfilled,” said evictees.
Social activist K. Aravindakshan inaugurated the protest march from the rehabilitation plot near the Mulavukad police station. He urged the Cochin Port Trust to fill up its vacancies with members from the evicted families.
The committee demanded urgent action to address issues in the rehabilitation plots in Mulavukad and Thuthiyoor based on the PWD report. It also called for reimbursement of income tax deducted from compensation payments. Additionally, it insisted that a monitoring committee meeting chaired by the District Collector be convened to review the implementation of the package and resolve the outstanding issues. The committee warned of stern protest unless its demands were not met.
Published – February 06, 2025 08:20 pm IST