The Revenue department has initiated a probe into
widespread complaints raised against the illegal tourism activities and levying
of fee from public/tourists by the Kanan Devan Hills Plantations. The tourists and public are alleged to be
taxed by way of entry charges, sight seeing charges, toll charges, road user
charges and road maintenance charge, which cannot be done as per the Kanan
Devan Hills Resumption Act.
The Land Board secretary, which has got an
instruction from the Government Principal Secretary to look into the
complaints, had directed the Idukki district administration to look into the
issue and file a report at the earliest.
Highly placed officials said that they have been
receiving complaints with regard to levying fee from the public as well as
tourists. They said that as per the Kanan
Devan Hills Resumption Act, 1971, the public right is protected and the company
has no right over the roads. Further the roads are now maintained by the
concerned panchayats from the state fund. Moreover, they also have no right to
sell the greenery to the tourists and above all the land is offered to them on lease
for plantation purpose only.
It is alleged that the company was levying road
user fee of Rs 50 and road maintenance fee of Rs 150. On the allegations, PWD
secretary T O Sooraj told Express that an affidavit has been filed with the
High Court in this regard. As per the KDH Act, the company does not have any
right over the roads and the land has been given to them on lease for
plantation purpose only, he said.
Public Interest Protection Association (PIPA) , on
whose complaint the Government had now given the instructions, alleged that
KDHP had erected check points in major tourist spots and roads. PIPA Secretary V Mohan Kumar alleged that the
road to Devikulam lake from Ciggerrete point, road to Mankulam side, Rajamally
and to Pothenmedu were all blocked and fee was being levied. Though the
authorities were intimated about this many times, they have not taken any
action, he claimed.
source: The New Indian Express
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