KOLLAM: The Kollam RDO has banned the unauthorised construction and illegal reclamation of paddy land near Ithikkara bridge and recommended action against three officials for providing certificates and reports favouring the counter-petitioner Quilon Education Trust the other day.
RDO D Sajith Babu issued the orders on a petition filed by environmentalist Odanavattom Vijaya Prakash, general convener of the Parsithithi Samrakshanana Ekopna Samithi in the High Court.
The RDO who had earlier issued a conditional order banning the construction activity was made absolute following detailed hearings and spot visit by him.
It has been found that the counter petitioner, chairman of the Quilon Educational Trust, S Noufel, son of Abdul Salam, Pattathil Veedu, Ayathil, Kollam had illegally started piling works in the paddy field near Ithikkara Bridge for the construction of an engineering college project.
The RDO in his order issued on March 26 said that it was found that the construction activities were in violation of the Kerala
Municipal Building
Rules 1999, and Paddy and Wetland Conservation Act, 2008.
He also found that the Adichanalloor Village Office and Panchayat Secretary and Agricultural
Officer had issued permission and certificates for
construction of the engineering college violating the rules.
He said, in the order, that the collusion of the Village Officer and Agricultural Officer was very much evident in the certificates issued on December 21, 2010 by the Village Officer and that of the Agricultural Officer dated December 30, 2010, wherein both had used even the same words to certify the land in question unambiguously as “not an agricultural land”.
“However, after my field inspection, I am fully convinced that most of the areas in question are very good paddy fields. The action of the Village Officer issuing such a certificate to the AICTE warrants further inquiry by appropriate agency,” he said.
The Quilon Educational Trust had started the piling work on 281 ares of land (6.95 acres) while it required at least 10 acres in rural areas to start an engineering college as per AICTE norms.
The layout plan for the building was issued by the Town Planner instead of the Chief Town Planner who alone can give approvals if the layout area exceeds 50 ares and buidling area exceeds 500 sq m. Here, the building area is 5344 sq. m. and layout area is 281.21 ares.