CM Oommen Chandy assures church representatives of changes in package

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has assured representatives of the Latin Catholic church that he would make changes in the rehabilitation package announced for those who lost their livelihood and houses in the Vizhinjam project after discussing the apprehensions raised by them with all concerned.

The assurance was given to representatives of the Latin Catholic Church who met the Chief Minister and Fisheries Minister K Babu here on Wednesday.

Thiruvananthapuram Vicar General Monsignor Eugene H. Pereira told reporters after discussions that the response of the government was positive.

Meanwhile, priests and nuns of Latin Catholic church sat in a dharna in front of the Secretariat against the failure of the Government to address their demands in the rehabilitation package on Wednesday.

The government’s rehabilitation package of Rs 296.46-crore package had earmarked Rs 236.77 crore for the fisheries sector. The rest of the amount was earmarked for corporate social responsibility activities.

CSR activities for the port area included training in agriculture, tourism, renovation of schools, education scholarship, health programmes, renewable energy and welfare schemes for the locals.

The rehabilitation package was based on the report submitted by the Livelihood Impact Assessment Committee (LIAC). However, the church wanted separate rehabilitation measures for fishermen families living in the Panathura-Veli stretch who would be affected by the construction of the three-kilometre-long breakwater.

They also demanded 50 percent reservation for fishermen in jobs in the Vizhinjam port.