In a bid to ensure the timely commencement of the Vizhinjam seaport project, the government has decided to expedite land acquisition and rehabilitation of affected fishermen and arrange for the supply of granite for the construction work.
A high-level meeting convened by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy here on Tuesday decided to identify quarries in Thiruvananthapuram and neighbouring districts to supply granite for the project expected to commence on November 1.
Lease agreement
Briefing newspersons after the meeting, Ports Minister K. Babu said quarries in government land would be selected to supply stones under a lease agreement with Adani Ports and SEZ which won the contract. Efforts were on to bring more stones by rail and water transport. The Minister said the quarries would be given no exemption from mining laws.
The meeting decided to expedite the acquisition of the remaining 10 per cent (23 acres) of the total land required for the seaport. The district-level committee chaired by the District Collector would work out the details of the acquisition. The entire land required for the project was expected to be acquired before commencement of the work in November.
The possession documents of the acquired land (90%) would be handed over to Adani Ports on August 18, a day after the government signs the concession agreement with the company.
Rehabilitation
A separate package would be worked out for the hotels in the project area to compensate for the loss of property and business.
Appeal committee
Mr. Babu said the list of fishers eligible for rehabilitation was being verified by a team of officials from the Fisheries Department and the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute. An appeal committee chaired by the Collector had been constituted.
As many as 250 mussel fishers and 75 shore seine fishers were expected to be affected by the project while 2,000 would require temporary rehabilitation during the period of construction.
Mr. Babu said the PWD would take up the work of strengthening three roads linking the seaport with other major locations.
Oommen Chandy convenes high-level meeting
Quarries to be identified to supply granite for project
Government to expedite land acquisition, rehabilitation, and supply granite for work
