A complete and scientifically prepared databank on paddy fields and wetlands in the State will be brought out by March 2017, Revenue Minister E. Chandrasekharan told the Assembly on Friday.
The government has asked the Kerala State Remote Sensing and Environmental Centre (KSREC) to use satellite images for the scientific assessment of land and to prepare the databank without any room for error, he said.
In various stages
Replying to questions by K.C. Joseph, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, and others, he said that of the 941 panchayats, 21 do not have paddy fields or wetlands. Databank has been published in 328 panchayats while the draft databank has been prepared and is ready for publication in 570 panchayats.
However, a close examination of the databanks that have been brought out has revealed several discrepancies and it is very clear that these have been prepared by officials without visiting the places, Mr. Chandrasekharan said.
About 93,088 applications for regularising paddy and wetlands reclaimed before 2008, as per amendment 3A of the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act, 2008, is before the government now.
Regularisation has been done in 56 applications, 54 of which were from Kannur district.
93,088 applications with govt. for regularising reclaimed paddy fields, wetlands
Remote sensing centre asked to use satellite images for assessment of land
