The Kerala government will continue the systems set up to resolve the grievances of those who have lost their livelihood due to construction of the Vizhinjam International Seaport Project and address the issues of all the affected people properly, Ports Minister V.N. Vasavan has said.

The Minister was speaking after inaugurating the distribution of livelihood compensation as part of the Vizhinjam port project.

The Appeals Committee and Monitoring Committee, which is tasked with studying and resolving issues in this area, will continue their work. The existing local monitoring committee headed by the District Collector and a State-level monitoring committee headed by the Chief Secretary to oversee the social welfare activities of local residents will continue to look into the remaining issues and find solutions to the people’s needs, said the Minister.

The State government’s approach is not to end everything by paying compensation. It is committed to implementing large-scale projects by taking the people into confidence and bringing them together with care, as they lost a lot in the process. As part of the Vizhinjam project, the State government has distributed ₹107.28 crore as livelihood compensation till date. A total of 2,700 people have received compensation from the government so far, and ₹8.76 crore was distributed to 284 people in the latest phase.

The Minister said that the construction work for the next phase of the Vizhinjam port will begin immediately after commissioning the first phase of the port, which is likely to be done in the next two months. The only delay is in availing of a suitable date as per the convenience of the Prime Minister. Along with that, rail and road development projects will also become a reality as the State government has initiated steps in this direction, the Minister said.

Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian, who presided over the ceremony, said that the fishermen will be given full compensation and all promises made to them will be fulfilled in a timely manner.