House panel detects major lapses by Kochi Corporation

KOCHI: The legislative committee which inspected the coastal areas,  including the controversial DLF apartment site at Chilavannoor,  to identify CRZ violations on Friday observed that there were  serious lapses on the part of city corporation regarding the encroachment by DLF.

During a hearing conducted at the district collectorate, the committee led by Mr T.N. Prathapan MLA  said that it would recommend a high-level probe into the circumstances in which important files pertaining to the DLF encroachment went missing from the Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority. Action will be recommended against the officials  responsible.

The secretaries of the local self- governments have been instructed to submit the report on CRZ violations before August 31.

Though 34 CRZ violations have been reported within the city limits, the corporation failed to report the one at  Chilavannoor lake by the DLF, alleged the committee. Officials of KCZMA and other committee members Anwar Sadath and P. Thilothaman were also present.

“Action should be taken against all bureaucrats who are attesting building plans despite knowing that the structure violates CRZ norms,” said  Mr  Prathapan.

The Kochi Corporation has informed the KCZMA that it couldn’t identify the area of the lake encroached upon by the realty major as the Kanayannoor  tahsildar is yet to furnish the details in this regard.

However, as per the report of Poonithura village officer in 2011, the builder has encroached on 50 cents of the lake and based on this, the RDO had instructed to evict the encroachments. It was based on  these details that the committee observed serious lapses on part of the Kochi Corporation.

Meanwhile, the Maradu municipal secretary stated that 18 CRZ violations were reported during 2006 when it was panchayat.  

Since most of the areas in Maradu fall under  the CRZ, no- objection certificate of KCZMA is required to provide building permit.

However, the legislative panel identified that the system is not being followed. District Collector M.G. Rajamanickam, additional district magistrate P. Padmakumar, KCZMA sub-committee member A. Ramachandran and officials of local bodies and civic groups’ representatives were also present.