THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government is set to introduce Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to assist district administrative officers in handling land conversion applications, aiming to bring clarity and speed to a process long criticised for delays and confusion.
The state revenue department conducted a meeting regarding this matter.
According to senior revenue officials, the move will leverage technology, including satellite imagery, to ensure that genuine cases are approved while preventing illegal conversion of wetlands and paddy lands. At present, such decisions rest primarily with revenue divisional officers (RDOs).
The new system will also empower deputy collectors (DCs) to take up these cases, raising the number of decision-making officials from 27 to 72. Officials believe this expansion, along with the SOP, will reduce bottlenecks.
“Applicants have often been forced to run from pillar to post due to delays and lack of clarity. With more officers and a clear SOP, we expect faster and fairer decisions,” said a senior official.
According to the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act of 2008, conversion of wetlands for residential or commercial use, prior to 2008 will not have legal validity. To verify such claims, authorities intend to use satellite imageries in addition to supporting documentation like tax returns, building plans, and home loan documents. Property document writers point to shortcomings in the land data bank established under the 2008 Act to support their claim that the new system is necessary.
“Many entries were made without site visits, relying only on office records. As a result, lands converted decades earlier were still marked as paddy fields. An SOP and more decision-makers can finally resolve these long-pending issues,” said P R Ramakrishnan, a document writer from Kottayam. The impact is expected to be significant for residents like Mariyakutty, a senior citizen, from Kanjirappally, who have struggled for approval to rebuild her family home.
“Our property was divided in 1990, but old records still show it as agricultural land. We have submitted all supporting documents, yet the wait continues. If the government’s new measures are implemented, it would be a big relief for families like ours,” she said. Officials say the new SOP is expected to be finalised soon, raising hopes for thousands of landowners awaiting clarity on conversion applications.
Revenue Minister K Rajan said the government has increased the number of nodal offices from 27 to 72. “We have decided to appoint 262 permanent staff for the documentation process. If a local body has over 100 pending land conversion files, additional support, including vehicles, will be provided for site visits," he said.
"Likewise, if paddy fields or wetlands are converted without government permission, the owner will be served a notice to restore the land to its original status. If the owner fails to comply, the government will undertake the restoration and recover the expenses through revenue recovery from the concerned landowner. For this purpose, a fund of Rs 1.5 crore has been created. All these will sort out errors in land records and clear pending files regarding land conversion without violating 2008 Act,” he adeed.