The government has rescinded an amendment to land assignment rules following stiff protest in Idukki. An order making no-objection certificate (NOC) from the village office mandatory for commercial constructions across the district has drawn people’s ire.
The government on Thursday limited its application only to the eight villages, where the stipulation is already in existence.
As per the government order on September 25, the certificate from the village office specifying the land use pattern in the title deed was made mandatory for local bodies to issue permit for commercial constructions.
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The order was issued after large-scale conversion of agriculture land for building constructions, especially in Devikulam, Udumbanchola and Peermade taluks. Unauthorised construction on encroached land was also a major issue at these places.
As per the new order, the NOC is now mandatory only in Kanan Devan Hills village, Bison Valley, Chinnakanal, Santhanpara, Vellathooval, Anaviratty, Pallivasal, and Anavilasam.
The United Democratic Front (UDF) had announced a hartal in the district against the order.
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UDF district coordination committee chairman S. Ashokan told The Hindu that there was no change in the hartal announced on October 28. The new order would only add to the confusion. All ban should be revoked and the land assignment rules should be amended.
He said constructions without harming the environment should be allowed in the district. The agitations would be intensified in the coming days, he added.
Organisations of farmers and merchants had also called for an agitation. The Highrange Samrakshana Samiti, an umbrella organisation of Church for protecting the rights of farmers, said it would continue its agitation.
Environmentalist Rajeshkumar said the earlier government order was issued as per a High Court order and it should be implemented without hesitation.
The new order was aimed at diluting any effort to protect the environment, he said.