The Hindu : Karnataka News : Encroachment of land rampant in CRZ

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Friday, Mar 28, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Encroachment of land rampant in CRZ

Sudipto Mondal

Large houses, resorts have come up on a 4-km coastline

‘No response from the gram panchayat for
four notices’
Offenders are said to be backed by politically influential people

MANGALORE:

Over 50 acres of government land in the eco-sensitive Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) has been encroached upon at Uchil village under Someshwara gram panchayat limits, according to Assistant Director of Environment U. Mahesh Kumar.

A visit to the area on Thursday revealed that several large houses and sprawling resorts have sprouted along the 4-km coastline between the Someshwara temple in the north and the Karnataka-Kerala border down south. Most of the plots on the encroached land are over 10,000 sq. ft.

Mr. Mahesh Kumar told The Hindu that the violations first surfaced in July 2007 when a fishermen’s organisation in Uchil village, Sampradayika Meenugarara Okkuta, filed a complaint to the Deputy Commissioner.

‘No action’

Since the issue first surfaced, the environment officials are stated to have sent four notices to the Someshwara gram panchayat. Its officials have not replied to any of the notices, the sources said.

Dozens of notices and letters have been exchanged between the offices of the Deputy Commssioner, the tahsildar of Mangalore, the chief executive officer (CEO) of zilla panchayat and the regional environment office. But no action has been initiated to bring the violators to book.

Mangalore tahsildar Raju Moghaveera said that the Revenue Department was yet to conduct a survey of the area.

Surprised to know that construction activities were still going on, he said that he would instruct his officials to take immediate action in the matter.

A.M. Kunjappa, CEO of the zilla panchayat, said that his office had tried its level best to remedy the situation. “The officials of the Environment Department and the tahsildar are authorised to demolish the illegal structures,” he said.

Lobby

On condition of anonymity, some officials of the gram panchayat, zilla panchayat, Revenue Department and the Environment Department said that politically influential people were backing the encroachers.

They alleged that some police officials had a stake in the resorts that were coming up in the area.

Mr. Moghaveera said: “This encroachment will be stopped soon and action will be taken against the violators, irrespective of their background.”

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