River protection forum warns of action against encroachers

The Kallai Puzha Samrakshana Samithi has warned land encroachers in Kallai that its volunteers would take up the task of demolishing buildings on encroached land if the landholders failed to do so themselves at the earliest.

Launching a protest against the encroachments and demanding that the district administration take action against the encroachments on Tuesday, the Samithi pointed out that more than 100 acres have been encroached upon on the banks of the Kallai river.

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee former president V.M. Sudheeran, who launched the protest, called upon the public to be part of efforts to protect waterbodies as it was not the sole responsibility of the government. “All 44 rivers in Kerala are in a dying state. While encroachment is the major reason for the condition, pollution is the next,” said Mr. Sudheeran. He called upon various agencies that take up river cleaning drives to ensure that the efforts had long-standing results.

He alleged that there had been serious discrepancy on the part of the governments in preventing land encroachments in the State. He called upon urban local bodies to come up with credible programmes for waste management.

Land survey

District Puzha Samrakshana Samithi general secretary Faisal Pallikkandy pointed out that the Kallai Puzha Samrakshana Samithi formed in 1996 had been able to check encroachment in Kallai to a great extent and that the High Court had ordered a survey on the banks of the river based on petitions filed by the Samithi. “Only a part of the land under question was surveyed. But it was found that 23.5 acres were encroached upon. If the survey is completed, at least 100 acres of encroached land can be identified,” he said, alleging that the land leased out for the timber industry was encroached upon by landholders and fake documents were prepared to prove that it belonged to them.

The Samithi has urged the district administration to ensure that the timber industry survived while the encroachments were attached to the Revenue Department.

Meanwhile, the district administration has decided to seek opinions and suggestions from the public with respect to the renovation of Connolly Canal and Kallai River.

A meeting has been called at the Kozhikode Town Hall from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 11, in which District Collector U.V. Jose, people’s representatives and officials concerned will take part. Reports and documentaries submitted by technical education institutions and other organisations will be discussed on the occasion.