THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government will instruct district collectors to convene all-party meetings and meetings with strike leaders in the districts to quell protests against the SilverLine stone laying. Collectors will give assurance that the stone-laying is for a social impact study and that the land acquisition notification will be issued only after seeking public opinion on its report and making necessary amendments. They will also assure that land will be acquired only after handing over the compensation announced by the government to the people. The government decided to take this action by accepting K-Rail's recommendation. A meeting of collectors will be called for this next week.

The government hopes to quell opposition by calling on local political leaders to provide full details of the project and land acquisition. A meeting of those who have to give up land and those who have to be evicted will also be called.

The Railways has not yet provided the land details requested by K-Rail to answer the Centre's queries on the SilverLine. The Centre had pointed out the ambiguity regarding various factors such as the alignment plan, the figures regarding the railway land and private land, the existing railway crossings and the affected railway land. Although K-Rail requested the survey documents of the railway land, the Railways replied that it was not available.