THRISSUR: Top revenue officials are facing allegations of inaction on a complaint on the sinking of a temple pond at Ambalur. According to a complaint by T. N. Mukundan, a local Kisan Sabha leader, clay worth Rs 3.5 crore was mined for a pond in 2015-16 for Kaloor Alikkal Kannankutty Temple even though there was one existing on the temple premises. After holding hearings, collector A. Kowsigan did not take any action on lack of proper sanction from Geology Department, relevant land document and environmental clearance and delayed proceedings against the temple committee for one-and-a-half years, he alleged. “Collector also failed to be present in person before the Lokayukta over my complaint even after several notices,” he claimed.
The Lokayukta on Monday had issued a bailable warrant against the collector and arrest warrant against the president of the temple committee. “The collector will have to be present before the court on or before the next hearing next month,” he said. The lawyer of Mukundan, Suresh Babu, said his client was also pursuing the case of encroachment against D-Cinemaas of jailed star Dileep in Chalakkudy. “The real issue is the land was not with the actor when the Municipality issued the permit," he said. "But to hoodwink the public, the civic body decided to cancel its licence citing the use of a motor without proper permission."
