Report alleges officer-builder nexus in Munnar constructions in Kerala
IDUKKI: Even as the eviction process in Munnar hit a roadblock following superfluous political intervention, the Intelligence Department has come out with a damning report alleging of a nexus between government officers and various builders for rampant construction of illegal structures in the Lakshmi area of Aanaviratti village in Idukki.
IG (Intelligence) E J Jayaraj submitted the report to the Revenue Department on May 30 which said panchayat, village and Revenue officers were promoting illegal constructions in the area in return for huge sums of money as bribe.
The report - a copy of which is with ‘Express’ - alleged illegal construction of resorts on Cardamom lands with the connivance of the officers concerned and using forged documents was rampant in the area.
“The land in Lakshmi area belongs to Cardamom land. So, t
o construct buildings there, resort owners first submit an application seeking ‘Genuine Certificate’ for lands in their possession. The village officer forwards a report to the tehsildar, not mentioning the fact the construction will be done on Cardamom lands. The tehsildar issues the certificate which is submitted with the application for building permit,” the report said.“The officer concerned issues the required certificates after receiving lakhs of rupees as pay-off,” said the report.
It said the builders of Pulimoottil Resorts, Seven Spring Resorts and Sandeep Mani Cottage had forged the documents for construction.
“Pulimoottil Resorts divided the land they possessed into pieces and constructed resorts and villas. They made huge profits after selling out the resorts and villas,” the report said.In the case of Sandeep Mani Cottage, two buildings having an area of 5500 sqft and 2000 sqft were constructed, said the report.
The owners of Seven Spring Resorts received a No-objection Certificate (NoC) for constructing an 840-sqft building.
But the owners, who hail from Chenappady, Kanjirappally, constructed a resort under the cover of the NoC certificate and named it Seven Spring Resorts, said the report. Jayaraj told Express in each of the instances the construction commenced with the resorts owners first seeking permission to erect a shed on the Cardamom lands to keep their materials and then developed high rises under the cover of the permission.
“I have submitted the report. I do not want to comment on it,” he said.
LSGD report overlooked
On February 4, 2010, the Principal Secretary, Local Self Government Department, had asked the Idukki panchayat deputy director to initiate urgent steps to remove illegal encroachments in Munnar, Pallivasal, Chinnakkanal and Devikulam. The order was not followed. It had been issued based on a High Court order that made the Revenue Department’s NoC mandatory for undertaking construction activities in Munnar.
Scam scan
Resort owners first submit an application seeking ‘Genuine Certificate’ for lands in their possession.
Village officer forwards a report to the Tehsildar without mentioning the construction will be done on Cardamom lands.
Tehsildar issues the certificate which is submitted with the application for building permit
The officer concerned issues the required certificates after receiving lakhs of rupees as pay-off