Kochi Revenue Divisional Officer orders to stop filling up of canal

KOCHI: The Fort Kochi Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) has issued instructions to the revenue authorities in Elamkulam village office to take the necessary steps to prevent the filling up of the Kochappilly canal belonging to the Chilavannoor backwaters. The RDO issued the order on Saturday even as Elamkulam village officer served a memo to the Ernakulam Cooperative Housing Society, Giri Nagar, to stop all works linked with reclamation of the canal belonging to survey number 803 in Elamkulam village.

The canal, nearly 1.5 km in length and width varying from 7.5 metres to 35 metres at various points, is part of the Chilavannur Lake coming under the Coastal Regulation Zone, a source said. The stop-memo issued by the village officer on Thursday has stated that filling of the canal is against the Kerala Land Conservancy Act and Kerala Conservation of Paddyland and Wetland Act. The stop-memo has directed the society to stop all activities connected with the filling up immediately.

The filling-up, undertaken by the society with the connivance of Kochi Corporation, is taking place in an area identified by the sub-committee appointed by the Supreme Court to identify CRZ violations at Chilavannoor backwaters in Kochi.  The present filling up is taking place in the area close to the Pearl Garden View apartments.

The sub-committee report has stated that the backwater was reclaimed in front of the Pearl Garden View Apartment and there are many other reclamations of backwater and filtration ponds. “It may require a more detailed study to identify the extent of reclamation of violating the provisions of CRZ”. Instead of taking measures to protect the area the civic authorities are facilitating further violations of the CRZ norms by allowing filling up and projects such as Padma Sarovaram, sources said.