A report submitted by the Chinnakkanal panchayat to a panel of wildlife experts constituted by the Kerala High Court has stated that the panchayat issued licences to only 36 establishments. As per the report, the panchayat issued licences to 14 resorts, 11 homestays and 11 lodges. “The panchayat had issued licences for the establishments which include a property owned by Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan,” said a source.
Meanwhile, sources said that nearly 100 homestays and lodges are engaged in tourism activities in the region, located close to the Munnar hill station.
A Revenue department source said titles deeds under the Kerala Government Land Assignment Rules, 1964 were issued only for farming and house construction, and title deeds under the Kerala Land Assignment (regularisation of occupation of forest lands prior to January 1, 1977) special rules, 1993 for farming, house construction and small shopping centres.
“The usual process is to obtain a house construction licence first and then register it as a homestay. The action mooted against Mr. Kuzhalnadan under these rules should indeed be applicable to most of the resorts and homestays in the region,” said the source.
Last month, the panel of experts had sought details of resorts and land development plan from the Chinnakkanal panchayat, a prime wild elephant habitat.
Meanwhile, a Right to Information (RTI) document has revealed that the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] was constructing its area committee office at Santhanpara without a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Revenue department.
The Santhanpara village officer issued a construction ban notice on November 25, 2022 directing to stop the construction works of the building, according the RTI reply secured by Idukki District Congress Committee (DCC) general secretary Bijo Mani.
“The three-floor building construction works are going on without an NOC from the Revenue department. The department has failed to take action against the illegal construction,” alleged Mr. Mani.
Santhanpara panchayat secretary Ramshad A. said that the panchayat had already issued a stop memo and demolition notice for the construction. “The panchayat has not yet issued a licence for the building,” he said.
However, CPI(M) Santhanpara local secretary V.V. Shaji said the allegations are baseless and that only repair works of an existing building were being carried out. “The building, which is about 50 years old, used to be a union office of high-range plantation workers. The building had been in a dilapidated condition and only repair works are being carried out,” he said.
“The panchayat has already issued a licence for the building. The government has presented a Land Amendment Bill in the Assembly seeking to regularise constructions in these panchayats,” he added.
