The Kerala High Court on Wednesday issued notice to the State government, Malappuram District Collector, and P.V. Anwar, Nilambur MLA, on a petition seeking a directive to implement the original project for the rehabilitation of victims of the Kavalappara landslip tragedy.
Justice Anu Sivaraman, while issuing the notice, also directed them to file a detailed affidavit in response to the petition filed by M.S. Dileep, one of the victims of the tragedy that took a toll of 59 lives and destroyed 44 houses. The tragedy took place in August, 2019.
Alternative land
The petitioner pointed out that the government had approved a project for rehabilitating the victims by the then District Collector, Jaffer Malik, after identifying nine acres of land in the Pothungal panchayat for the purpose. It was most convenient and better land for the project. However, the Nilambur MLA had started putting a spoke in the project’s wheel as he disliked the efforts of the then District Collector to find land for the project. The cold war between the Collector and the MLA had resulted in the government abandoning the present project and issued an order for finding another piece of land. The petitioner pointed out that if the project was not implemented before monsoon, it would cause irreparable hardship to the petitioner and other homeless victims.
The petitioners pointed out that there was no impediment in purchasing the land and the price quoted by the landowners was very less since they were surrendering the land for charity purpose.
The petitioner sought a directive to the State government to implement the original project within a time frame.
