THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the cabinet has discussed the rehabilitation of those affected by the Mundakkai and Chooralmala landslides. Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan, who participated in the press conference alongside the Chief Minister, explained that the model townships will be established at the Nedumbala Estate and Kalpetta Elston Estate.
"The Kalpetta township will have a larger number of plots. Houses of 1,000 square feet each will be built on five-cent plots. The township will include roads, parks, and other essential amenities for the public. Construction will be carried out sustainably, with RCC frame structures. The township will be located near the national highway," the Chief Secretary said.
"Nedumbala is more of a hilly region, situated in Meppadi Panchayat. Here, the houses will be built on ten-cent plots, each with an area of 1,000 square feet. The houses will have provisions for a second floor and include parking facilities. The construction will follow a cluster model," the Chief Secretary added.
The Chief Minister said that the government is aiming for rehabilitation which also includes means of livelihood. The project will be completed by coordinating all assistance. The land will be acquired in Elstone Estate (58.5 hectares) and Nedumbala (48.96 hectares). The land was identified through drone surveys, and a field survey is currently underway. In addition to homes, markets, healthcare centers, schools, and sanitation facilities will be established, the CM said.
The activities are going on in such a way that the final list of disaster-affected families will be released by January 25. A micro-plan survey was conducted under Kudumbashree to provide livelihood support to those affected by the disaster. The survey was carried out among 4,658 people in the Meppadi Panchayat. Of these, 79 people selected the animal husbandry sector, 192 chose agriculture, 1,034 opted for micro-enterprises, and 585 selected other income-generating activities. Even after being relocated to townships, the ownership of the land in the disaster-affected areas will remain with them.
It was previously announced that KIIFB will be entrusted as the project management consultant. KIIFCON, an affiliated organization of KIIFB, will be appointed as the representative of the employer. Based on the views of the Finance and Legal departments, it has been decided to nominate Urallungal Labour Contract Society as the contractor for construction works. The rehabilitation project will be implemented under a three-tier system.