Blame game between police, revenue depts

Thiruvananthapuram: The Revenue wing under the district administration and the police authorities are engaged in a blame game over action against the rampant reclamation of Akkulam Lake. On Monday, the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) and Sub-collector K Inbasekar along with the revenue officials visited the reclamation site and have given direction to the Village Officer to file a complaint at the Thumba Police Station to launch a detailed probe into the unauthorised reclamation happening at the lake.  However, according to the police authorities they are yet to get any direction from the revenue authorities as claimed.

RDO K. Inbasekar told DC that the Tahasildar has submitted a detailed report on the violations happening at Akkulam to the district collector. “We have submitted the report and the Co-llector is the authority responsible for iss-uing the final order to take necessary acti-on. Meanwhile, a case has been filed at the station as we suspect conspiracy involved in the activities. A stop memo was iss-ued by the village officer and the police will investigate the reclamation activities,” said Mr Inbasekar.

However, the police authorities claimed that the Thumba police is yet to get any written direction from the revenue authorities yet.  A police official said that the real action should come from the revenue authorities under the Kerala Con-servation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act.

“The police have no role in this. The district administration and the Kerala Coas-tal Zone Management Authority should take action. The agency should have done a combined inspection. But the KCZMA was absent the other day,” said the official.