THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told the Assembly on Monday that the state government was seriously considering fresh legislation to regulate constructions in Munnar. A letter given by Idukki sub-collector to the village officers prescribing norms for issuing NOCs for construction was creating confusion in granting NOCs. The district collector was directed to grant NOCs subject to norms, he said.
Mr Vijayan was replying to an adjournment notice given by Kerala Congress (M) leader K.M. Mani citing the difficulties being faced by the people of Munnar and nearby villages in getting NOCs for construction of even houses. The Opposition also staged a walkout from the House after Speaker Sreerama-krishnan denied permission for it. The UDF observed a hartal in Idukki over this issue and other matters on Monday.
Mr Vijayan also said that the state cabinet had approved a remote sensing survey of ecologically sensitive areas of Munnar and nearby areas and sent it to the centre. He hoped the centre would approve it as imposing restrictions on entire villages citing ecological sensitivity was not practical. The state government had issued orders on May 26 empowering village officers to issue NOCs for constructions.
This was to avoid the difficulties being faced by the people in approaching the revenue divisional office. However, Idukki sub-collector gave a letter to the village officers along with the order, which was creating certain hurdles in issuing the NOCs. Revenue Minister E. Chandrasekharan said that the decision to allow village officers to grant NOC was taken on the basis of the suggestions of local MLAs and people. CPM Devikulam MLA S. Rajendran also alleged that certain orders issued by IAS officers without the knowledge of the government were creating confusion and demanded that such orders should be cancelled.
Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala alleged that some revenue officials were even taking bribes by taking undue advantage of the present confusion. Mr. Mani complained that while the applications of poor farmers for construction of houses were pending, illegal constrictions were being regularised by the government. The chief minister criticised the UDF for not exempting tourists from the hartal in Idukki even as all political parties had recently decided to spare the tourism sector from hartals.
