Kochi: A Kochi-based resort owner who had received a stop memo issued over a month ago for violating of the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act allegedly filled up the nearby wetland for easy access to his property from Mulavukad North along the Container Terminal Road while the officials were busy with flood-relief activities.
Fort Kochi revenue divisional officer S. Shajahan had issued the stop memo to the owner, identified as one Naushad, during the first week of August.
“We had summoned the party concerned for a hearing and issued a stop memo before the recent floods. But the building was completed without securing the requisite permission from the panchayat,” Mr Shajahan said.
Asked whether the resort would be demolished, he said it was for the panchayat to take a decision. However, panchayat president Viji Shajan said action would be taken after discussing the matter in the governing council meet to be convened soon.
"There was earlier a house located there, and the party developed the same into a resort for commercial purpose.
The council would study the violation and decide on the future course of action," she said.
“During the period, the party concerned started laying an access road to the property by encroaching river poramboke land and filling up the wetland. We’ve also got a complaint that the access road entrance is being made by encroaching land owned by the National Highway Authority of India.”
A team led by the RDO visited the resort on Tuesday and issued a direction to Mulavukad police to stop any activity on the plot besides directing the village authorities to measure the extent of encroachment. He also reported it to the district collector.
Taluk authorities said the wetland would be restored at the expense of the violator after surveying the area filled up.
