Its a positive development

KOCHI: The evictees of the road and rail connectivity projects for ICTT Vallarpadom at Moolampilly are finally heaving a sigh of relief. The families evicted for the ICTT project welcomed the government's decision to implement the rehabilitation package. "It's a positive development. The government has agreed to most of our demands and we hope the issue would be settled forever soon," said P J Selestin, a retired school master who was evicted for the road project from Moolampilly. He was also part of the team of evictees which held discussions with the Chief Minister in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday.The evictees also said that the land given to them as part of the package is not livable. "A major portion of the property is reclaimed and marshy. There are no basic facilities like road, electricity, potable water and drainage to these areas. The evictees demanded the government to look into such issues which they have agreed to resolve," said officials of the coordination committee. The life of the evictees is pathetic as the rehabilitation package promised long ago is yet to be implemented. The evictees' coordination committee submitted certain details regarding the rehabilitation package, notified by Revenue Principal Secretary Niveditha P Haran in March 2008, before the Chief Minister and other ministers who attended the meeting on Monday.  Apart from Francis Kalathunkal and P J Selestin, V P Vilson of the coordination committee, T K Sudheer Kumar of Samara Sahaya Samithi, Prof K Aravindakshan and Fr Romance Antony were also part of the team which met the state government officials. The evictees also welcomed the government decision to withdraw police cases against them.