A government order according sanction to the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) to give electricity connection to buildings without the mandatory non-objection certificate (NOC) from the Revenue Department in eight villages, especially in Devikulam taluk, has stirred a controversy.
The order issued by Electricity Department Secretary B. Ashok said that power connections should be given in Kannan Devan Hills (KDH) village, Bison Valley, Chinnakanal, Santhanpara, Vellathooval, Anaviratty, Pallivasal and Anavilasam without the NOC.
KSEB’s ‘request’
The government order, a copy of which is available with The Hindu, said that it was issued as per the request of the managing director, KSEB, as many high tension (HT) consumers such as resorts and hotels had applied for electricity connection. It also noted that the main income for KSEB is from HT consumers.
Environmentalists allege that the order was issued to favour unauthorised constructions, especially in Munnar and Chinnakanal. The Revenue Department had earlier ordered that power connections should not be given to buildings without its NOC.
The land mafia, after encroaching upon government land, build a temporary shed, take power connection, and sell the land. Major constructions are then taken up on the land after forging land documents.
The Devikulam Subcollector in a recent report to the government said that hundreds of illegal constructions had come up on the encroached government land in Devikulam taluk.
Against encroachers
The report also sought immediate action to retain the land and evict the encroachers.
It said that the land mafia would encroach on hundreds of acres of government land if immediate action was not taken.
District Collector H. Dinesan told The Hindu that power connections would not be given without NOC from the Revenue Department. There was already an order in this regard.
The new order would not hold, he said, adding that it would result in a spurt in illegal constructions. A report in this regard would be submitted to the government, he added.