Kollam: 84 Neendakara families wait for compensation

Kollam: As many as 84 families in Neendakara, who had handed over their land to Kerala Minerals and Metals Limited (KMML) for sand mining, are in dire straits.

The land acquired in 2003-04 has neither been returned nor compensated for. These families have not been able to return to their land for 15 years as the company has reneged on package norms, they alleged.

These families in block - 1 in Neendakara handed over their land documents to the company based on a package agreement that the land will be returned within three years, after mining and filling it making it usable for housing purposes.

"These families have been residing in rented houses and with relatives elsewhere ever since. The company also failed to keep their promise of giving job to one member of each of these families," said Subhash Kalavara, land protection council patron, told DC.

In 2016, the company management informed the residents that the dredging could be started only if six more acres of land is procured along with the land already taken up by it. Based on this, some 184 families submitted copies of land document and consent letter. The company has not taken a single step for operations in these areas even after three years.

These people are in trouble as several of them face recovery for loans availed earlier. "They even struggle for the education and marriage purposes of their wards. The company takes advantage of this to grab title deed of the land," Mr. Subhash alleged. The people have also warned to go for means of protest against the apathy by the company towards the residents of Neendakara.