The Alappuzha municipality has issued a provisional order to the Water World Tourism Company, the promoters of Lake Palace Resort, of which former Transport Minister Thomas Chandy is a director, to demolish or regularise ‘unauthorised buildings’ in the resort.
The order was issued by Alappuzha municipal secretary S. Jahangir based on a joint inspection report on Tuesday.
The order issued as per the Kerala Municipality Act noted that the company could submit an application for regularising the constructions if it were built as per the provision of the Kerala Municipal Buildings Rules, by paying the stipulated fine. The company can also present adequate documents before the municipality within 15 days of receiving the order to prove that its findings were false, officials said.
Officials said the joint inspection had revealed that the company had constructed 10 buildings, with some having an area of up to 3,000 sq ft, without the permission of the municipality. A second notice was issued to the company after the probe found that it extended 22 buildings in the resort without obtaining necessary permission from the authorities concerned.
The company had evaded paying tax for the unauthorised buildings and would have to pay hefty amount as penalty to the municipality, officials said.
Earlier, a joint inspection team, involving officials from revenue, tax, and engineering wings, was deployed after several documents related to the resort were found missing from the civic body.
Officials said that if the company failed to provide a satisfactory reply or submit application for regularising the unauthorised constructions within 15 days, the municipality would call its representatives for a hearing. After hearing, we will issue a confirmation order demanding it to demolish the buildings, officials said.
On Monday, the State Agriculture Department rejected an appeal filed by Leelamma Easow, sister of former Transport Minister Thomas Chandy, questioning a government order to restore a paddy field levelled by the company for the construction of a parking area.
Rejecting the appeal, the agricultural production commissioner upheld the order issued by former Alappuzha District Collector T.V. Anupama. Ms. Anupama, in June 2018, had directed the company to restore the paddy field it levelled for the construction of a parking area.