The indefinite hunger strike launched by the ten SC/ST families against the Kadungallur panchayat authorities since Monday evening was called off following negotiations with District Collector K. Mohammed Y. Safirulla here on Tuesday
The families will be provided housing facility under the State government’s Project LIFE within the current financial year.
The families had been on an agitation against the Kadungallur panchayat for the past one month in protest against the purchasing of waterlogged paddy land for them to construct houses.
Though the local body had promised to fill the land, purchased using SC/ST funds, the move was stayed by the High Court.
Unexpected turn
As the families demanded that they be given property at a location elsewhere, the panchayat authorities sought more time to clear legal hurdles. The protest took a sudden turn on Monday when the agitators forcefully entered the panchayat conference hall even as the women among them threatened to commit suicide.
Though the Paravur tehsildar, RDO and additional district magistrate held talks with the aggrieved families, they insisted on the district collector’s intervention.