Rehab of coastal people proposed

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 11: Kerala Revenue Minister K P Rajendran told the State Assembly today that the government proposed to undertake a scheme for the permanent rehabilitation of people affected by sea erosion for which a Rs 1,441 crore project had been submitted to the Centre for financial assistance.

Replying to a submission by Mr V S Sunil Kumar (CPI-M), he said at least 50,000 houses had to be constructed for their rehabilitation in nine districts. They would be rehabilitated at places not far from the sea coast.

Mr Rajendran said another scheme for the rehabilitation of families living on river banks would also be taken up by providing them houses.

Replying to another submission by Mr P P Abdullakutty (CPI-M), Water Resources Minister N K Premachandran said priority had been given for the implementation of a regulator-cum-bridge connecting Chamrvattom with Tirur across Bharatapuzha.

The ICICI-Kinfra, a joint venture firm, had come up with a Rs 85 crore project in this regard. The company had been asked to submit a feasibility report within four months. If it could not take up the project, the governmnet would explore other avenues for its implementation, the Minster said.

Responding to a submission by Mr Thomas Chazhikkadan (KC-M), Law Minister M Vijayakumar, who is also in charge of Railways, said the Railways had been urged to complete doubling of the Ernakulam- Kottayam- Kayamkulam railway line as early as possible considering the traffic through this route.

UNI