THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Individual political parties in the UDF will present views on going in for amendments to the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wet Land Act, 2008,in the form of separate reports. “It will be presented in the next UDF meet for a final decision,” UDF convener P P Thankachan said here on Tuesday. The basic idea of the proposed amendment is to regularise vast tracts of paddy fields already converted for non-agricultural purposes in the state and re-vest land lying unused or in excess of a given project with the earlier owner.
The sub-committee developed cold feet when KPCC president V M Sudheeran hinted that any amendments should be mooted only with the consent of the whole society.The amendments are on a seemingly innocuous plank that anomalies in the nature of land in revenue records is creating many hardships across the state and hence it has to be rectified. But critics are already up in arms charging that it is intended to favour the land mafia and corporates only.
Thankachan said that the UDF meet had recommended to the government to announce an exercise for delimitation of panchayat wards before May 31.
On the demand for bifurcation of many panchayats and municipalities,another round of discussions will be held in the UDF sub-committee.
“Financial constraints of the government and other factors have to be taken into account,” he said.
The meet urged the government to ensure voters’ photo ID cards and EVMs for the nearing local body polls.
“It is estimated that Rs 100 crore should be spent for EVMs which could be sourced from the Centre. Cost-sharing can also be thought of as it will be an investment for 40 years,” he said.