Kovalam Land: govt to seek report from Collector

With controversies raised over public land worth about Rs 400 crore in Kovalam being encroached by a major private hotel group, the government has decided to seek a report from the district collector on the issue.

''The district collector will be asked to look into the controvesries and file a report,'' Revenue Minister Adoor Praklash told express. When pointed out that the land adjacent to the famed Kovalam beach was worth crores, he said that any decison on the issue can only be taken after the report is got.

The Express had earlier reported about the allegations raised over the land that has not been claimed by the ITDC. Despite having documentary evidence of its ownership, the government is alleged to have no access to the land and no steps have been taken to take over the land. Apart from this, tension is also brewing in Kovalam over a land related to a more than 200 year old temple adjacent to this land with the temple authorities alleging that the private major hotel group was trying to encroach on its property and the adjacent land that belongs to the government.

The Village records, a copy of which is with Express, clearly show that an extent of 18.176 acres is still in the name of ITDC even after after 40.72 acres of land was sold. The ITDC is yet to respond to the land thagt belongs to it. As per the records the temple has about 1.50 acres of land, which has now been challenged by the Hotel group. The hotel group even got a stay for the a stretch of land that belongs to the Keezhathil Sree Mahaganapathy Temple. The Temple authorioties have already come out against the alleged move to the encroach upon thier property.

Source: The newindian Express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/436352/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/11-02-2015#page/17/1

KOvalam Land: tension brews up

Tension brews up in Kovalam over a land related to a more than 200 year old temple with the temple authorities alleging that a private major hotel group was trying to encroach on its property  and the adjacent land that belongs to the government.  The temple authorities allege that the recent developments will only lead to a divide in the society.   

As per the documents, the temple has about 1.50 acres of land, which has now been challenged by the Hotel group. The hotel group even managed to get a stay for the majority of the land that belongs to the Keezhathil Sree Mahaganapathy Temple.  ''The issue is related to a property that belongs to the temple for more than 200 years. All the documents show the temple has about 1.5 acres acres of land,'' temple secretary Ramachandran said.

Stating that it was a serious issue, he claimed that the hotel group does not have any right over the property as only an extent of 40. 72 acres of land, which also includes the Kovalam palace, was sold to them. ''As per the records with the Vizhinjam village office,  there are only two subdivisions in resurvey number 7 in block 14. The land of the ITDC comes in subdivision 1 and that of the temple comes in subdivision 2. ''

Apart from this, Ramachandran said that the Advocate Commission appointed by the Neyyattinkara Court had given a false report. ''In the report, the land of the temple is shown to be in resurvey 29/1. But the documents and records in the village office show that the temple and the land is in resurvey 7/2 and has about 1.50 acres. The resurvey number that is indicated by the commission is about a kilometre away from where the temple is situated,'' he said.  

Moreover, it is alleged that the ITDC was keeping silence on the remaining 20 acres of land that belongs to it after 40.72 acres of land was sold.  It is estimated that the land would cost about Rs 400 crore as per the latest market rates.  The village records clearly show that an extent of 18.176 acres is still in the name of ITDC even after a portion of the land was sold. 

Source: The Newindian Express 

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/434811/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/09-02-2015#page/15/1

Fresh row over Kovalam Land

The controversial Kovalam Palace land has once again come under the scanner with the government, despite having documentary evidence of its ownership, not taking over about 20 acres of land worth Rs 400 crore.   

The village records show that an extent of 18.176 acres in block 14, resurvey number 7/1 in Vizhinjam, is still in the name of ITDC even after a portion of the land was sold to a hotel group. Though in the ownership of ITDC, the government is alleged to have no access to the land, which is again becoming controversial.  

During the sales deed, it is alleged that the government had not gone through the Land procedures. When a part of the land was sold to a hotel group,  the government is alleged to have not demarcated the government land from the whole extent, thus in a way losing the prime land to private players.  

As per records with the Vizhinjam village office, resurvey number 7 in block 14 from which the land was sold to the hotel group had a total extent of of 46.18 acres. Of this, the Hotel group was handed over 26.567 acres in resurvey number 7/1-1. A religious place also holds land to an extent of 1.43 acre. And the remaining 18.176 acres is still in the name of ITDC in the Thandaper register.

From the village records, it is clear that when the controversial land was sold to the hotel group, the government has not done 'subdivision' of the land, which was mandatory when giving pattayam (title deed) to government lands. It is quite evident from the Village officials that there exists no subdivision record with them. It is necessary that the village office maintains the subdivision record once it involves handing over public lands to individuals or others. Subdivision is to be made in order to demarcate the boundary and any government land can be sold only after the boundaries of the government land is demarcated.

Source: The New Indian express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/418081/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/16-01-2015#page/4/1