Pro-BJP think tank asks Kerala Governor not to give assent to Land Assessment (Amendment) Bill

Thiruvananthapuram: The Bharatheeya Vichara Kendram (BVK), a pro-BJP think tank on Saturday , urged Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan not give assent to the Kerala Government Land Assessment (Amendment) Bill-2023,that was passed unanimously in the Kerala Assembly on September 14th.

BVK points out that the traditional rival political fronts in Kerala joined hands to pass this Bill, for vested interests especially vote bank politics.

Incidentally, the BJP has no representation in the 140 member Kerala Assembly.

In its representation to the Governor, it points out that the Bill is aimed at regularising the unauthorised construction and land defacement activities taking place in the ecologically sensitive Munnar in Idukki district.

“The land area at Munnar is a part of Western Ghats which is ecologically and environmentally sensitive. The Kerala Government has passed the Bill in the Kerala Legislative Assembly on September 14, 2023, which empowers the Government to regularise the unauthorised construction and land defacement activities carried out in contravention of the condition specified in the Patta assigned to the Land Assignees without considering the ecological importance of Munnar area, its Land terrain height from the sea level, earth quake, landslide occurrence possibilities, forest and wild life protection laws,” says BVK’s letter.

This Bill seeks regularisation of unauthorised constructions made for over 50 years in order to circumvent the Kerala High Court’s direction to settle the land related issues in Munnar area.

BVK further points out there is an amendment in the Bill which empowers the government to issue permission to the land assignees for rock mining, resort construction, in these ecologically fragile high range lands which may result in the total destruction of the area.

“This indiscriminate and irreclaimable land defacement is the main reason for the ongoing man-animal conflict. This proposed enactment may provide an advantageous situation to the owners of the unauthorised buildings demolished by the government in 2007 to claim compensation for their constructions,” says the representation.

–IANS