Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan handed over keys of 192 flats built for families of fishermen, whose homes were destroyed due to sea erosion in various villages in Thiruvananthapuram district.
The ‘Prathiksha‘ (Hope) apartment complex, built at nearby Muttathara, will rehabilitate the families who were rendered homeless by sea erosion and rough seas in Valiyathura, Cheriyathura and other fishing villages here.
The first-of-its-kind project has been constructed by the state government under Mission LIFE (Livelihood Inclusion and Financial Empowerment), which envisages a comprehensive housing scheme for all the landless and homeless in the state. Each flat has two bedrooms, a hall, a kitchen and a lavatory.
The complex also has amenities like a library, community hall and sanitation facilities, constructed at a cost of Rs 2.5 Crore. It will also help relocate fishing families living in areas close to the sea. Situated on 3.5 acres, these 24 units of eight flats each were constructed at a cost of Rs 20 Crore.
“The apartment complex in Muttathara is the best flat complex so far constructed for fisherfolk,” Vijayan said in a tweet. The fishing families rendered homeless in the 2016 sea erosion at Veliyathur and those who had lost their homes in rough seas since 2012 and were forced to live in schools turned into relief camps are beneficiaries of the project.
The foundation stone for the complex was laid by the Chief Minister last year. Fisheries minister J Mercykutty presided over the function.