Kerala - Kochi   

Corporation moves to clear encroachments

Staff Reporter

To ask Collector to assess loss of revenue land

KOCHI: The city Corporation council has decided to ask the District Collector to assess encroachments on revenue land and clear them.

Replying to discussions at the council meeting on Wednesday, Mayor Mercy Williams said the Corporation Secretary would take steps for evicting encroachers.

Taking part in the discussions, Deputy Mayor C.K. Manisankar said that only the District Collector was authorised to take stock of encroachments on revenue land.

Unauthorised constructions in the city could be demolished after issuing 24-hour notice, he said.

The Collector should be asked to ascertain the encroachments in a time-bound manner.

Several councillors who took part in the discussion said that encroachments were rampant in the city.

K.J. Antony, councillor, said the exchequer might have lost at least Rs. 200 crore as encroachers and land sharks had grabbed priceless land in the city.

N. Venugopal, councillor, said the Corporation officials were not implementing the orders issued by the civic authorities against unauthorised constructions.

K.J. Sohan, chairman of the development standing committee of the civic body, said encroachments on the Kochi backwaters should be ascertained.

He demanded that the names of encroachers be made public.

Ms. Williams said a list of names would be compiled and published on the web site of the Corporation.

Seminar

The civic body would organise a seminar on June 5 on environmental issues related to Kochi to mark the Environment Day celebrations.

Projects related to planting of trees, protection of water bodies and other environment conservation works would be launched on that day, Ms. Williams said.

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