Collector issues order to acquire Lotus Club land

KOCHI: The Revenue Department will initiate eviction procedures to acquire the 80.25 cents of land allegedly encroached by the Lotus Club at Warriam Road, Ernakulam. The Department’s move comes in the wake of District Collector’s order to the Kanayannur Tahsildar (LR) on Wednesday to initiate the eviction process.

Previous Collector K Mohammed Y Safirulla had issued the order after the Club had failed to produce the required ownership documents.

The Club has 1400 members and collects about `4 lakh per member as membership fee. 
Earlier, on February 2, 2010, additional tahsildar of Kanayannur had issued eviction order stating that Lotus Club was on ‘puramboke’ land as per revenue records and it should be evicted. The club authorities approached the Ernakulam sub-court and filed a revision petition before the revenue authority, however, both the appeals were dismissed. Even though the club authorities approached the Sub Collector, he upheld the additional tahsildar’s order on April 6, 2018, on the basis of the details in the Basic Tax and Puramboke Register. 

The High Court in its judgement dated 13.04.2018 disposed the writ petition and directed the District Collector to consider the revision petition after hearing the affected parties within a period of six months and to pass orders within a period of one week. 

The counsel of the Lotus Club had submitted that the club’s right to use the premises was granted by the erstwhile Maharaja of Kochi a long time ago. Also, the land was possessed before the Kerala Land Conservancy Act came into force. The additional building was constructed in 1942 with the knowledge and permission of the then authorities. Hence, this cannot be characterised as illegal possession, encroachment or trespass of government land.  The Lotus Club authorities refused to comment on the matter.