In a major breakthrough, the Director of Panchayats has issued a directive to the secretaries of Munnar and Devikulam panchayats to cancel the licences issued to the bungalows of the Kanan Devan Hills Plantations (KDHP) Company Private Ltd in Munnar to start homestays.
This follows a report in the Express that the licences were issued defying the High Court’s directive and contrary to the government’s objection.
Meanwhile, Munnar panchayat secretary informed the Idukki district administration that the licences issued by it had been cancelled.
“On Tuesday, Munnar and Devikulam panchayat secretaries were directed to cancel the licences,” Panchayat Director Mithra T told Express. She said that the directives were issued on the basis of information that the licences were issued even when a High Court order was pending in this regard.
“The secretaries were asked to report to the director after taking the necessary steps,” the Panchayat Director said.
Idukki District Collector Ajit Patil said that the Munnar Panchayat secretary had sent a fax stating that the licences issued had been cancelled.
“Devikulam panchayat secretary has not yet given any intimation in this regard. A stop memo has also been issued to the KDHP and the Muthoot Group to not take any action on the basis of the licences,” he said.
Ajit Patil said that he would send a report to the LSGD secretary on the whole episode. It was alleged that the revenue and the district administration were kept in the dark while issuing the licences.
Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan had come out against the decision, urging the government to withdraw the order.
Legal experts also pointed out that the action of the panchayat secretaries amount to contempt of court. There were also allegations that certain political leaders were behind the issuance of licences. The licences had been issued when an interim order by the High Court clearly said that its concurrence and directive was needed for any decision related to issuing licence for homestays or the use of the land for tourism purposes. It had also directed that the order of the LSGD Ombudsman, giving permission to grant licences, should not be implemented.
However, the Munnar and Devikulam panchayat secretaries issued licences on the basis of the Ombudsman’s order.
As per the Land Board report, transferring and conversion of land and buildings for a purpose other than agriculture was violation of the provisions of the KDH Act.
“The property held by the KDHP Company as per the KDH Act, 1971 was government land and the company had been paying lease rent equivalent to land tax,” sources said and added that it was in violation of the lease conditions and Section 3 of the Act allows the land to be used only for plantation purpose.”