KSEB-Forest fight stalls Kakkayam tourism plan

KOZHIKODE: The fight between the forest department and Kerala State Electricity Board over the ownership of the 283.65 hectare land in Kakkayam is stalling the hydel tourism project in an upcoming destination that has attracted a lot of visitors in a short span of less than a year. According to KSEB tourism wing officials, the project could raise Rs 40 lakh since August last year. On Saturday, Kozhikode district collector N. Prasanth issued an order to stop boat services at the dam from Sunday.

However, the KSEB officials say that the collector's decision was unilateral and without considering the records produced by the KSEB. There is already an ownership dispute between the two departments, where both the parties claim their right over the land. Of the total land area, the water body occupies 205 hectares.

"In 2006, Chakkittappara village officer had asked KSEB to pay a land tax of Rs 1,49,000. How can a board be sought land tax, if the land does not belong to them? This is a clear proof that the land belongs to KSEB. But the collector did not consider records produced by our advocate and took a decision to cancel boat services unilaterally," said KSEB hydel tourism project director Ramesh Kumar. He added that the land was not yet announced as a wildlife sanctuary, but only a draft notification was issued in 2009.

Kakkayam, which is situated around 39 km away from Thusharagiri waterfalls, is now one of the few important tourist destinations in Kozhikode. The visitors to Thusharagiri also halt here. Over the tussle, the KSEB shut down their parking facility and Milma outlet in the area on Sunday.

Meanwhile, they alleged that, on the same day, 20 forest department officials broke open the sealed parking area and started using it. Divisional forest officer K.K. Sunil Kumar said that according to the Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary notification Section 18, it is to be noted that the land should be protected from non-forest activities.

"Only a notice was issued in 1967 to acquire land for KSEB. It was not materialised. In 1971, according to the Kerala Private Forests (Vesting and Assignment) Act, the private forests were brought under the forest department including this," he said.

The DFO added that though a lease agreement was proposed and agreed upon by the KSEB, it was also not materialised, and a reminder was made in 2006 by the state government. Once the KSEB backs out from the project, the forest department is ready to continue with the tourism promotion activities in the area, he added.