THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An agreement has been reached to construct houses for the landslide disaster victims in Wayanad on plots of 5 to 10 cents in two townships. The houses will be single-story structures of 1,000 square feet, with foundations designed to allow for an additional floor in the future. The estimated cost of the project is expected to range between Rs 750 crore and Rs 800 crore. It was also decided in the special cabinet meeting held yesterday to appoint a special committee to oversee the project.

Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan presented the draft plan for the project. After a detailed review by the ministers, the final decision will be made in the cabinet meeting scheduled for next Thursday. The meeting was postponed by a day due to the Christmas holiday on Wednesday.

The Chief Minister will hold discussions with those who have expressed willingness to construct the houses for the disaster-affected victims. This meeting will take place in the first week of January. The townships will be built on estate lands located in Kalpetta and Nedumbala.

Once the verdicts in the cases related to this land are out, the government will proceed with the project. All preliminary preparations have been completed. The design of the houses has been developed after evaluating both past and upcoming disaster rehabilitation efforts in Kerala. The master plan presented includes the land availability, amenities, schools, colleges, anganwadis, hospitals, libraries, playgrounds, and more.

Govt will assess the capability of those who expressed willingness to construct houses
1. The government will evaluate the capability of individuals or organizations expressing interest in building houses. If they are deemed capable of constructing high-quality, durable homes without delays, the government will allocate land to them. They must construct the houses in accordance with the government's approved design.

2. However, if the government determines that these individuals or organizations are not capable of completing the construction efficiently or with the required quality, the land will not be given to them. Instead, they will be required to provide the necessary funds to the government, which will then handle the construction through its own channels.