THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala’s Transport Minister Thomas Chandy is in the eye of the storm for allegedly encroaching upon a lake to build a resort. Following the order of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Alappuzha district collector has submitted the interim report which confirms encroachment on Marthandam Lake and largescale violation of rules to build a resort owned by the minister.
Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala had sought a probe into the encroachment by the minister. In his complaint, he accused Chandy of misusing powers vested in him as an MLA and a minister on many counts.
Meanwhile, Revenue Minister E Chandrashekaran has ordered the land board secretary to probe into allegations that Chandy had grabbed 34 acres of land of Mathur Devaswom (property of Mathur Temple) by producing fake documents. “Laying bitumen on only one particular stretch of the road leading to the Lake Palace Resort owned by the minister in Alappuzha is nothing but misuse of power and public money,” Chennithala alleged. Chandy was also alleged to have constructed a road to his Lake Palace Resort in Alappuzha using Rs 22 lakh allocated to the Harbour Engineering Department for the infrastructure development in the nearby fishermen’s hamlet.
Crisis Cabinet
Oct 2016: EP Jayarajan had to resign following nepotism charges. Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau has finalised a report stating that there was no pecuniary gain involved and corruption charges will not stand judicial scrutiny.
May 2017: AK Saseendran quit following telecast of sleaze audio with a lady reporter, which the channel later admitted to be a sting. Channel head and team mates were jailed and will have to face trial.