Alappuzha: The district collector, T.V. Anupama's interim report to the revenue minister, E. Chandrasekharan, confirms the land grab by transport minister Thomas Chandy's Lake Palace resort for its parking area.
In the five-page report submitted on Wednesday, she said it had levelled 4.5 to 12.5 metre- wide land violating the Kerala Paddy and Wetland Conservation Act 2008. The encroachment, as shown in satellite images, was carried out after 2014, it says.
The 2008 satellite image shows no road through the ground and after 2011 its built approach roads and parking area step by step, as shown in the pictures of 2011, ’14 and ’17.
Mr Chandy's Water World Tourism Company would now find it difficult to challenge the report in the court.
Though she had called its managing director for a hearing, it seems she has got an edge to go ahead with the prosecution procedure under Section 13 of the Act.
According to legal experts, even if Mr Chandy proves he had no ownership over the land, he can be held accountable under this Section as not ‘owner’ but ‘occupier or holder. If a person uses other’s property for his/her private purpose can be deemed as ‘occupier’.
The collector had heard the company authorities on Tuesday as per the Sub-Section 3 of the Act which demands to examine the complaints received from the public regarding attempts to violate its provisions.
They had sought time for producing all details, and the collector set a date for hearing again, October 4.
