Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Ordinance to prevent reclamation of waterbodies

Special Correspondent

Minister visits Cherunniyoor in Varkala taluk

Thiruvananthapuram: The Government will promulgate an ordinance to check the reclamation of inland waterbodies and encroachment of the bordering areas, said Revenue Minister K.P. Rajendran on Tuesday.

He was addressing a meeting of Revenue officials here after a visit to Cherunniyoor in Varkala taluk to assess the attempt by a private tourist resort to reclaim a portion of the Puthenkadavu- Kovilthottam lake.

The new law would be framed to overcome the problems encountered by Revenue officials in checking encroachment and reclamation of waterbodies, said the Minister. A survey would also be taken up to identify encroachments on waterbodies across the State, he said.

Collector N. Ayyappan, RDO K.V. Mohankumar and senior Revenue officials were present.

According to Revenue officials, the resort owner had bought 1.8 acres of land bordering the lake earlier this month. He fenced off a portion of the lake, up to 250 metres from the bank, for reclamation.

Alerted by the Cherunniyoor panchayat and the local people, the Police and Revenue officials swooped down on the site on Saturday to prevent an overnight operation to reclaim the land. The authorities seized 13 lorries engaged in dumping soil in the water.

The police registered a case against the resort owner for infringement of land and criminal trespass and under the provisions of the Environmental Protection Act and the CRZ norms, as well as the Kerala Land Conservancy Act. Following the Minister's visit to the site, Revenue officials provided assistance to the Cherunniyoor panchayat to remove the soil and restore the reclaimed portion of the lake.

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