KOCHI: The Kerala high court has asked the state government to explain why large stones marked ‘K-Rail’ were used for the social impact survey for SilverLine project despite the court’s interim order to adhere to the specifications under Kerala Survey and Boundaries Rules (KSBR).
In an interim order (WP-C No. 30567/2021 and connected cases), justice Devan Ramachandran said one aspect that concerns the court is that an interim order was issued on December 23rd last year to install survey stones only of the size specified under Rule 3 of KSBR and no bigger than that.
As per Rule 3, field stones and theodolite stones used for a survey should be of the size 60 cmx15cmx5cm with a plummet hole 1cm deep on the side.
The court pointed out that the Director of Survey issued an order on February 2nd this year permitting Kerala Rail Development Corporation Ltd (KRDCL or K-Rail) to install larger survey stones, despite the high court’s interim order.
Terming such an order by the Director of Survey as ‘incredulous’, the court said, “The prima facie impropriety of this order was that it is seen issued when the interim order was in force and without seeking any permission from this Court and based on a letter issued by the KRDCL dated 29.01.2022, seeking permission to install larger stones knowing fully well of the interdiction ordered by this Court.” Stating that the officers concerned should clarify on the issue, the court then ordered KRDCL to place on record its letter which led to the order being issued by the Director of Survey.
The court also ordered the Director of Survey to file an affidavit explaining why and in what manner the order permitting use of larger stones was issued even without seeking prior permission from the court, as an interim order was in force. Postponing the case to June 2nd, the court also asked the government to inform when the survey proceedings began and the timeline of further actions.
