Rebuilding Kerala: Chief Minister and DP World Handover Keys

KOCHI:
Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan handed over newly built homes in Kochi to 50 families, as part of rebuilding and rehabilitation efforts after the 2018 Kerala floods. The houses are built by global trade enabler DP World, which operates International Container Transhipment Terminal (ICTT) at Vallarpadam in Kochi.

The handover of the houses was done in the presence of DP World Kochi CEO Praveen Thomas Joseph, State Minister for Ports Kadannappilly Ramachandran and Hybi Eaden MP Kochi and District Collector S Suhas. S Sarma MLA. V.D Satheesan MLA, K.J Maxi MLA, John Fernandez MLA, Dr. Joseph Kalathiparambil, Metropolitan Archbishop of Verapoly & Patron of ESSS, Associate Director of Habitat For Humanity (HFH)  Praveen Paul and Panchayath President Smt. Dolly Kuriakose were also present at the public ceremony.

The 2018 Kerala Floods was declared a Level 3 Calamity; “a calamity of severe nature”, that affected all 14 districts of the state and one-sixth of the total population of Kerala due to unusually high rainfall during the monsoons last year. DP World undertook the responsibility of helping communities around the terminal to re-build their lives by constructing homes for them.

Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister of Kerala, said: “Rehabilitating our people after the 2018 Kerala Floods has been the most important priority for us. We are happy that 50 familiies will now have newly constructed houses. I would like to thank DP World for building these houses for the affected families. The 2018 Kerala Floods were devastating for the people and economy of the state. We are pleased that private sector partners like DP World have contributed meaningfully in helping re-build the economy and community.”

Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and Global CEO, DP World, said: “The floods had left a large section of our community homeless, and we saw it as our responsibility to help affected citizens rebuild their lives. We hope this assistance provides a meaningful difference to some of the families. We are committed to working with the government to help local communities develop resilience and effectively cope with climate induced disasters.”