Surveying prevented by residents

TRIPUNITHURA: The residents of Yogaparambu, near Kumbalam, prevented surveying officials from taking the initial survey for the proposed Maritime University in Kumbalam.On Monday morning, four senior officials from Revenue department reached the spot to begin the surveying process. About eighty acres are required for the University, which will include coastal areas and thickly populated residential areas. A total of 210 families will be evicted from this residential area, among them 120 families belonging to the dalit community.On Saturday, an Action Council was formed with the active involvement of the Dalit Service Society (DSS) which was inaugurated by environmentalist C R Neelakandan.“Most of the residents in this area belong to the dalit community and their main occupation is fishing and agriculture, said P P Santhosh, president of DSS.  If they are evicted from their current environment, they cannot survive as they have knowledge only in fishing and agriculture, he said.The officials should find other convenient spots with minimum eviction for the proposed Maritime University, Santhosh said.Four senior officials from the Revenue Department reached on Monday without any prior notice or instruction from the District Collector to conduct the survey. Panangad Police reached the spot as per a request by the surveying officials, when the survey was prevented.The police assured the gathering that further proceedings will be with the prior consent of the Collector  and a notification.