Kerala: Construction resumes on lake violating Coastal Regulation Zone norms

KOLLAM: Construction of concrete structures about 30 meters to Paravur Lake at the Kappil estuary has resumed, violating a Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority (KCZMA) directive. The authorities had issued a stop memo after DC reported the violations two years back. After inspections, the KCZMA in March 2016 granted CRZ clearance for the development of Kappil Beach as a tourist destination with the rider: "Construction will be permitted only for the purpose of boat jetty."

It also wanted to remove all the non-permissible activities as part of the project and not to put the debris into the water contaminating it and damaging the environment. A boat jetty is already operational here. "The construction works are not for any jetty mentioned as there is already one. It is illegal and stopped in 2016," said Peter Pradeep, director of HELP Foundation spearheading the campaign.

"The stop memo is still in place. The construction will affect the free flow of water and natural sand movement at the mouth of the estuary with serious ramifications." Finance minister T.M. Thomas Isaac had before the elections written a letter to Thiruvananthapuram district collector Biju Prabhakar IAS to take action against the encroachment on Kappil-Edava backwaters following a DC expose in March 2015.