Kochi, Kerala - A long-standing land dispute in Ernakulam district has been resolved after a settlement agreement was signed between the affected residents and landowners. The agreement, reached after five rounds of discussions, will see seven Dalit families allotted land and houses.
Under the agreement, each of the seven families will be given five cents of land adjoining their current residence, along with a three-metre-wide access road and a boundary wall separating their plots from the remaining private property.
The government will oversee the construction of houses of at least 1,000 square feet for the families through sponsorship arrangements, with the aim of completing the work within a year.
The affected families will also be provided benefits available through the Scheduled Caste Development Department, while officials have been directed to ensure their prompt delivery.
The government has also agreed to initiate steps to withdraw criminal cases registered in connection with the dispute.
