Kochi Metro courts trouble after encroachment allegations
KOCHI: Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) courted a major controversy after environmentalists and activists came forward with protests against the firm for illegally encroaching on a part of Chilavanoor lake near Elamkulam Metro station and filling it with construction waste.
Activists claimed widespread dumping of construction waste has been taking place on the banks of Chilavanoor lake near Elamkulam Metro station as a move to reclaim it. The illegal land filing is taking place on a plot currently under the custody of KMRL. They claimed KMRL has taken the land on lease from Kochi Corporation.
According to nearby residents, the lake near the Metro station has shrunk due to the dumping of concrete waste. Nipun Cheriyan, a coordinator of Anti-Mafia People’s Squad, said the landfilling was a clear violation of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Act. “KMRL is dumping concrete and construction waste into the lake. It’s a clear violation of CRZ norms. The waste is being taken to the shores of the lake at night using vehicles with fake registration numbers,” he said.
“As per revenue records, 20 to 30 cents of the lake area is missing near the Metro station. Still, authorities are turning a blind eye to the encroachment. They could not even implement the High Court order directing an investigation into CRZ violations along the lake. The court had ordered the district administration to investigate the encroachments on the banks of Chilavanoor lake several years ago. But, the administration is yet to complete the probe,” he said.
Activist Benny Joseph of Janapaksham said a detailed investigation must be conducted to unearth the conspiracy behind the encroachment. “Massive encroachment is taking place in the city violating CRZ norms,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mayor Soumini Jain said the local body did not notice any CRZ violation in the area. “Some people with vested interests are trying to block development projects. They want to block Padmasarovaram walkway and cycle track project along the banks of Chilavanoor lake on Sahodaran Ayyappan Road. All other allegations are baseless,” she said.
Allegations are false: KMRL
Express News Service @Kochi
The Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) authorities, on Friday, clarified that the widespread allegations on social media regarding the Metro works at Elamkulam are not true. In a statement issued here, KMRL officers said the agency would like to make it clear no kind of unauthorised landfilling was happening at Elamkulam Metro construction site or in any other sites of Kochi Metro.
“The land next to the Kochi Metro’s Elamkulam Metro station, shown in the video which surfaced on social media, belongs to Kochi Corporation. McNally Bharat Engineer who is engaged by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) had taken the land on lease from Kochi Corporation to carry out the Kochi Metro project. The contractor had sent a letter on January 4, 2018, to DMRC informing they have vacated the land and handed it over to Kochi Corporation,” said the statement. The KMRL authorities said it was understood that at present Kochi Corporation is carrying out its annual pre-monsoon dredging in the water body near the site. “The sludge taken during the dredging is dumped at the land parcel (not in any water body) and is expected to be removed once it is dry. KMRL is exhorting all concerned to desist from spreading such baseless rumours,” said the statement.