THRISSUR: The wetland with Thrissur Corporation in Lalur division in Aranattukara which was reclaimed by the division councilor by dumping waste soil will be reinstated soon, Agriculture Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar has said. Speaking to Deccan Chronicle on Saturday, Mr Sunil Kumar said that the matter was brought to his notice by the media and paddy farmers and he had informed the deputy director of Agriculture in Thrissur to take back the wetland lying near Chandippulippadam, one of the largest reservoirs in the Corporation limit.
The minister said that the wetland could not be used for dumping waste and the officials had been given orders to reinstate the reclaimed land. As per the ministers orders, Aranattukara Village Officer along with a junior superintendent from the Thrissur Taluk office and agriculture officers had inspected the area and prepared a report which had been forwarded by Additional Thasildar in-charge Eldo KM to the Thrissur RDO. Revenue officials who conducted the field inspection at the reclaimed wetland told DC that the councilor Lali James had informed them about a council decision regarding some projects adjacent to the reclaimed land but failed to produce any documents regarding the project proposals. Deputy mayor Varghese Kandamkulathi said that the Corporation had not given sanction for projects in this area.
“Proceedings against the reclamation had been initiated by invoking section 13 of the Kerala Wetland and Paddy Field Conservation Act 2008, and as per the section, the land will be reinstated after the RDO order,” Mr Eldo said. Elturuthu Kole Karshaka Corporative Society has sought this wetland, which has been lying barren for some years, on lease for paddy cultivation, but the Corporation has not yet taken a decision. In 2010, as many as 6,600 tipper loads of soil which were used to reclaim the land by realtors Kaipadathu Group at Chandippulippadam was removed as instructed by then Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanadan, after it was found that the reclamation of the paddy field for a Rs 1,000 crore project of the Group was a blatant violation of the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act, 2008.
