Kochi, October 26 : Alappuzha district collector T V Anupama’s report on the allegations of land encroachment and illegal reclamation of paddy fields and backwaters against the resort owned by transport minister Thomas Chandy was submitted before the Kerala high court on Wednesday.
According to reports in visual media, the district collector’s report confirms that the minister’s resort illegally reclaimed paddy fields to construct a parking lot, encroached on Marthandam backwaters by laying buoys, and constructed a private road to his resort using MPLADS funds.
The report also says that water world tourism company, which manages the lake palace resort owned by Chandy, illegally filled Marthandam backwaters. For this purpose, the company allegedly bought parcels of land measuring 5 cents each from 64 persons.
The district collector has reportedly submitted that vetting of land records of only 11 of these transactions have been completed.
The remaining 53 transactions have yet to be examined fully since files pertaining to the land deals were found to be missing, the collector reportedly alleges in the report.
The land encroached on by the minister’s resort is also not found to be included in the data bank. Even though an enquiry was conducted into this in 2011, there is no information on the action taken on it, the collector’s report says.
District collector T V Anupama has prepared the report after conducting detailed hearings and placing reliance on surveys and satellite imagery which showed changes in the topography of the area.
Revenue minister E Chandrasekharan had the other day apprised the chief minister of the contents of the report and recommended to the latter to take stern action against the transport minister.
However, the management of the lake palace resort moved the high court the other day alleging contempt of court against Ms. Anupama on the ground that the allegations addressed by the collector’s report were pending consideration before the court.
Meanwhile, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who has thus far steadfastly defended Thomas Chandy, on Wednesday sought legal advice from the advocate general on the damning report submitted by the Alappuzha district collector confirming the allegations against Chandy.
The cabinet meeting on Wednesday chose not to discuss the collector’s report, even though speculation had been rife that the cabinet would take up the matter for discussion.
