KOZHIKODE: The solution to the long-running dispute between Panangad panchayat and management of Usha School of Athletics, Kinalur, over the ownership of a road passing through the school premises remains elusive and the stakeholders are awaiting a government-level intervention to find a lasting solution to the issue.
Closing doors on local-level talks, both the school management and the panchayat authorities are sticking to their stern stand claiming the ownership of the road passing through the property.
Raising concerns over the safety of girl children at the academy, Olympian P T Usha, MP, who runs the school, wants to end trespassing of people into the school premises through the road. As a solution, the school authorities want to either close the road or restrict people from entering into the road by appointing security personnel. The school management also wants the panchayat authorities to end construction activities on the property without their consent.
Last week, the Panangad panchayat authorities had begun pipeline laying work on the road under the Jalanithi project aimed at giving water connection to around 18 families living close to the academy.
The move had upset Usha and she came up with an allegation that illegal construction was being carried out with the support of the panchayat on the property belonging to the school. Usha also raised concerns about the security of her students.
Though the panchayat had temporarily stopped pipeline-laying work, the civic body is claiming the ownership of the road.
The panchayat further made it clear that public entry could not be stopped and the laying of pipeline will continue. The KSIDC which leased out 30 acres of land to Usha School also came up in support of the school authorities challenging the panchayat’s claim. With this, the issue was brought before Kozhikode district collector N Tej Lohit Reddy for an amicable settlement.
Usha School of Athletics general secretary P A Ajanachandran said: “As per the document received from KSIDC, there was no public road on the property. The existing muddy road was opened for public as a temporary solution at the time of opening of the school. As the road passes close to the girls’ hostel, it is posing a threat to the security of the inmates. That is the reason why we are demanding laying of a new road for the local residents along the border of the school property,”said Ajanachandran, adding that the school management is not against local residents or their right for a road and potable water facility.
“We have further suggested to appoint security personnel to restrict entry of people to the road. But, the panchayat authorities are trying to take over the ownership of the road instead of finding an alternative solution,” he said.
Panangad panchayat president V M Krishnan Kutty said there is no doubt about panchayat’s ownership of the road. “If the road is closed, families living on Kanthalad hillock will get isolated. Construction of a new road is not possible owing to financial issues,” he added.
A KSIDC officer said the panchayat’s claim on the property is baseless and unacceptable. “While giving the 30 acres of land to Usha School, we had allotted land with a width of eight metre along the border of the property to construct a new road for the public. The existing road was opened for them in a temporary manner and the laying of pipeline cannot be permitted,” the officer said.
With the dispute continuing, families living on Kanthalad hillock are facing uncertainty over their wait for water connectivity and a motorable road.
“Over the past 60 years, my family is using this road and we don’t have any alternative road. We all are fully supporting the school and want to see its growth. But, now they are challenging us by denying road and water,” said Bhaskaran, who is living on Kanthalad hillock.
The 62-year-old man added that they are facing acute drinking water crisis. “We are depending on a stream on the hilltop. The water source is drying up day-by-day as mercury soars. Now, we have to collect water at night time as the stream goes dry in the morning. When the pipeline work started, we thought that our woes would end. But, the project is now facing uncertainty owing to the dispute,” he said.