: Investigations by a subcommittee of the Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority (KCZMA) have unearthed three major violations of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notifications in Cheranalloor panchayat on the outskirts of the city.
The investigations revealed that the resort ‘Island Inn’ in Cheranalloor had violated the provisions of the CRZ. The subcommittee also found that the residential units constructed by one Syed Mohammed and Lisha Sebastian were in violation of the regulations.
The Authority had appointed a two-member committee to look into the issue on a request from the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau.
Inspections were carried out by a team consisting of K. Bijumon, Deputy Superintendent of Police; Kamalakshan Kokkal, Joint Director, Kerala State Council for Science Technology and Environment; A. Ramachandran, member of the Authority; and Bindu, Assistant Engineer of the Cheranalloor panchayat.
Google Earth imagery
In the case of the resort, the committee used the Google Earth Imagery of 2003 and 2015 to arrive at the conclusion that the wetland and kayal were reclaimed for the construction of the resort.
The panel reported that the resort had come up on the “No Development Zone in CRZ III category where construction of building for resort purpose is a prohibited activity as it violates the provisions of CRZ Notification 1991.”
It further noted that the “actual extent of reclamation of wetland and encroachment of kayal can be ascertained only by the survey measurements by the Revenue officials using the land available in the legal documents and actual current measurements.”
Panchayat records
It was evident from the panchayat records, which were available with the Vigilance Department, that the “construction of resort building was made by claiming reconstruction of three existing buildings.”
The “reconstruction of existing building for resort purpose in the No Development Zone of CRZ III is not permissible as per the CRZ notification 1991.”
According to the notification, the “renovation of existing building without increasing existing plinth area, existing density” is permissible for activities that are permissible in CRZ area.
Resort buildings are not permissible in NDZ of CRZ III, it stated.
Panel recommendation
The committee also recommended action against the officials who were responsible for clearing the buildings.
Subcommittee of KCZMA detected the violations
Panel recommends action against officials
