Houses almost ready, but varsity cannot promise jobs

Central University of Kerala says decision has to be taken by Centre.

Houses built by the Central University of Kerala (CUK) for displaced families of the Malathumpara colony adjacent to the institution at Periye in Kasaragod.

Even as the Central University of Kerala (CUK) is on the final stages of building houses for 15 displaced families of the Malathumpara colony adjacent to the institution, the authorities have expressed inability to accede to the persistent demand a family member each be provided with a job, citing that a decision to that effect could only be taken by the Central government officials.

The university’s stance, in the light of persistent demand for jobs after the displaced families threatened to commit suicide from atop a university building on its Periye campus recently, was made by Registrar A. Radhakrishnan Nair at a press conference here on Wednesday.

By December

The university, during a meeting convened by the District Collector on October 11, 2012, had agreed to build houses with equivalent basement areas for the displaced families and the houses would formally be handed over by December, Dr. Nair said.

It was also decided to seek the support of the State government to provide drinking water, road network, electricity connection, and other amenities along with matching compensation package to the families, he said.

The fresh demand for jobs would have to be addressed by the Centre as it was a policy decision that the university could not intervene, he said.

The university’s clarification came after K. Kunhiraman, the local MLA, had made it clear that he would extend unflinching support to the displaced families after they raised a suicide threat for the second time recently.