THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With controversies raised over public land worth around Rs 400 crore in Kovalam being encroached by a major private hotel group, the government has decided to seek a report from the District Collector on the issue.
‘’The District Collector will be asked to look into the controversies and file a report,’’ Revenue Minister Adoor Prakash told ‘Express.’ When pointed out that the land adjacent to the famed Kovalam beach was worth crores of rupees, he said that any decision on the issue can only be taken after the report is received.
‘Express’ had earlier reported about the allegations raised over the land that has not been claimed by the ITDC. Despite having documentary evidence of its ownership, the government is alleged to have no access to the land and no steps have been taken to take over the land.
Apart from this, tension is also brewing in Kovalam over a land related to a more-than-200-year-old temple adjacent to this land with the temple authorities alleging that the private hotel group was trying to encroach on its property and the adjacent land that belongs to the government.
The Village records, a copy of which is with ‘Express’, clearly show that an extent of 18.176 acres is still in the name of ITDC even after 40.72 acres of land was sold. The ITDC is yet to respond to the land that belongs to it. As per the records, the temple has about 1.50 acres of land, which has now been challenged by the hotel group. The hotel group even got a stay for the stretch of land that belongs to the Keezhathil Sree Maha Ganapathy Temple. The Temple authorities have already come out against the alleged move to the encroach upon their property.
During the sales deed, it is alleged that the government had not gone through the procedures. As per the Village records, it is seen that the controversial land was sold to the hotel group without undergoing the mandatory subdivision, which is needed before any government land is given ‘pattayam.’ Subdivision is usually done for demarcating the boundaries of government land.