Action sought against Thomas Chandy

KOCHI: B K Vinod, Kainakary gram panchayat member, has approached the Kerala High Court seeking a directive to take action against Transport Minister Thomas Chandy for allegedly encroaching upon public land and the Marthandam Lake for his Lake Palace Resort in Alappuzha.In his petition, Vinod said the Kuttanad tahsildar and North Kainakary village officer filed a report saying Chandy  intentionally and without authority occupied, used and converted government land, ‘michabhoomi’ and ‘puramboke’ land in violation of the provisions of the Kerala Land Conservancy Act, 1957, and purchased land in violation of the Kerala Land Reforms (Ceiling) Rules, 1970. 

The lay and nature of the land appears to be marshy and a wetland as evidenced by the tahsildar’s reports and satellite images. Despite several representations, the local-level monitoring committee was reluctant to include the area in the draft data bank. Through their inaction, the Revenue officers purposefully helped Chandy to illegally possess the land and convert it, the petition said.