KOCHI: As many as 114 encroachments were identified on the banks of Chilavannoor lake in a survey, the state government has told the High Court. Fort Kochi sub-collector Snehil Kumar Singh submitted the report containing the sketch of the encroached land before the court.
The survey report said 80 per cent of the encroachments did not have any construction, while the rest had small buildings.There were no highrises, said the report.
Petitioner Cheshire Tarzan had approached the High Court seeking to appoint a team to conduct a survey of the banks of the lake based on the old resurvey and Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) plans and sketches based on satellite inputs.
The petitioner also sought action to evict the encroachers and demolish all unauthorised structures built by encroaching on government land.
As per the court’s directive, the district collector had deputed the Fort Kochi sub-collector on May 9, 2017, to constitute a team and survey the lake’s banks.
A team headed by the district survey superintendent conducted the survey. The exercise on the Elamkulam side was conducted by separating the land into five portions, while on Poonithura side, the land was divided into two portions.
The petitioner said the lake area was included in CRZ I as per the Coastal Regulation Notification 2011 as the land near the water body was ecologically sensitive.
“It was part of the Vembanad backwaters and its banks had Pokkali fields and mangrove vegetation. The vegetation has vanished because of indiscriminate reclamation of the water body and illegal constructions,” the petitioner submitted.
Method adopted
A team headed by the district survey superintendent conducted the survey. The exercise on the Elamkulam side was conducted by separating the land into five portions, while on Poonithura side, the land was divided into two portions