Kerala High Court stays controversial Munnar construction

Kochi: The Kerala High court on Wednesday stayed the controversial construction of the shopping complex by Munnar panchayat on the banks of Muthirapuzha.

A division bench headed by the chief justice issued the order on a public interest litigation filed by former Munnar panchayat president O.Y. Ouseph.

The government also submitted a petition in the High Court on Wednesday about the unauthorised construction in Munnar. The advocate-general submitted the petition which also included the affidavit given by Devikulam sub-collector Renu Raj on the unauthorised constructions. The affidavit has named five persons, including Devikulam MLA S. Rajendran, as the culprits prompting the violation of law.   

The affidavit mentioned that Rajendran had insulted her in public before mediapersons.

The petition also contains the details about the unauthorised construction by the Munnar panchayat and the way the existing laws were violated in the region. The details of the construction after the issuance of the stop memo by the revenue department are also included in the petition filed by the AG.

The shopping complex construction has violated the High Court order on the distance limit on the river bank for such work. Mr Ouseph in his petition sought a ban on all constructions within 50-feet radius of Muthirapuzha. 

The KDHP company has said that it has not handed over the land to the panchayat and that it has only allowed parking of vehicles at the place.