Round table conference on Moolampilly struggle

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In an era when land acquisition in the name of  development has become a matter of great debate and concern, the recent agreement signed between the State Government and the evictees of Moolampilly assumes great significance.The Loyola College of Social Sciences, Sreekariyam, is organising a round table conference, ‘Moolampilly struggle - experience and lessons’ on July 28 to discuss the significance of the rehabilitation package as well as its policy implications. The Moolampilly struggle had drawn statewide attention after hundreds of families from the region in Ernakulam district were forcibly evicted by the then LDF government for laying railway tracks to the Vallarpadam Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT). The struggle launched by the displaced had drawn sympathetic support from all quarters. After the UDF came to power, a resettlement package was signed with much ado.Revenue Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan will inaugurate the conference on July 28. Activist C R Neelakantan, chairman of the Moolampilly Samara Sahaya Samithi, will be delivering the keynote address. Prof Francis Kalathinkal, general convener of the co-ordination committee; V P Wilson and Mary Francis, evictees and active participants of the struggle, and former IT advisor to the state government Joseph Mathew will participate in the conference.The programme is a sequel to the three-day UGC-National Round Table Conference organised by the College some time back. For details, contact Dr Antony Palackal, organising secretary, on 9447739189.