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Drive against encroachments at Kovalam

Staff Reporter

1.13 hectares of Government land retrieved in the 12-hour demolition drive

MEN AT WORK: Revenue authorities engaged in demolishing encroachments on the Light House beach at Kovalam on Saturday. — Photo: S. Gopakumar

Kovalam: In a demolition drive that lasted 12 hours, revenue authorities on Saturday removed encroachments on 14 properties stretching over 3 km along the coastal belt from Vellar to Pullinkudi. Government land measuring 1.13 hectares was retrieved in the drive, which began at 6.30 a.m. from near a five-star resort at Vellar.

The demolition drive ended at 6.30 p.m. at the resort run by a spiritual retreat centre at Pullinkudi.

Of the 14 properties subjected to the demolition drive, some were leading hotels on the beach resort. The highest encroachment of 0.6 hectares was by the resort run by a spiritual retreat centre.

The encroachments removed included concrete buildings housing hotels, bakeries, tailoring units and handicraft shops, walls, walkways, swimming pool, cafeteria, toilet blocks and a `nalukettu.' The revenue authorities deployed over 60 labourers and an earth-moving machine to demolish the illegal constructions on the Government land.

The drive was led by K.V. Mohankumar, Revenue Divisional Officer; and assisted by Krishna Kumar, Tahsildar, Thiruvananthapuram; and Madhu Gangadhar, Additional Tahsildar, Neyyattinkara.

The owners of the properties were taken by surprise when the revenue authorities came in for the demolition drive. On the request of the officials, many removed the materials from the shops and resorts and cooperated in the drive.

Mr. Mohankumar said the drive was carried out after giving notice in `Form C' under the Kerala Land Conservancy Act on July 20, 2006 to owners of 16 properties and after completing all the formalities. The owners of two properties had appealed to the RDO and their appeal had been rejected.

They had been given 30 days time for filing revision petitions and the authorities avoided demolition on the two properties.

Land demarcated

The entire drive was videographed. The Government land was demarcated and stone markers placed. Mr. Mohankumar said the Government land would be protected at any cost. The revenue authorities and the police would be given copies of the document to help them monitor the retrieved land. "The drive against encroachments onto Government land is only a beginning and the demolition will continue," he added.

The squad move to Pullinkudi after the demolition of the 13 properties in Kovalam was completed by 3.30 p.m. The revenue authorities sealed the cottage constructed by the retreat centre on the Government land.

The cafeteria and the swimming pool on the Government land were also retrieved and the toilet blocks demolished.

The `nalukettu' was sealed after an inventory of the things was made. The police also recovered liquor from one of the rooms. It was also found that the mandatory `C' forms had not been filed.

Tourists were taken by surprise by the demolition drive and many were heard enquiring about the presence of the police. Riycrift and Chrstine Riycrift, who were on a visit for the ninth year from Sussex, United Kingdom, told the RDO that the drive should have been organised during May, June and July. "It will bring bad name to Kovalam and prevent tourists from coming here. We will take up the issue with the High Commission," they added.

A team led by Deputy Commissioners Harshita Ataluri, P. Prabha, Assistant Commissioners V.C. Mohanan, M. Sekharan and Circle Inspector (Vizhinjam) T. Ajith Kumar was present along with two companies of police from the SAP.

Joint Managing Director of A&N Hotel Enterprises Thomas John in a statement said the hotel had title and possession in the property that witnessed action by the revenue authorities.

The Neyyattinkara court had also ruled that the hotel had title and possession over the land.

The land retrieved by the Government would be regained legally, he added.

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