Kerala HC stays resort construction at Malampuzha Dam's protected area

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court has issued a stay on the alleged construction of a resort in the protected area of Malampuzha Dam .


According to the petition, the resort is being constructed at a distance of 35 metres whereas construction activities are banned within 1,000 feet of dams.

SS Padmakumar, executive engineer of Irrigation Division, Malampuzha, had filed an affidavit that said construction activities are going on in the protected area on the strength of a building permit granted by the secretary of Malampuzha Grama Panchayat.

In the interim order, the court said, “Having considered the pleadings and materials on record and also the submissions made by the learned counsel on both sides, this court deems it appropriate to grant an interim order restraining from having any construction activity in the property for a period of one month.”

Though the court had issued notices to the secretary of Malapuzha Grama Panchayat and the resort owner, nobody had represented the panchayat during the hearing. The court has granted three weeks to the resort owner to file a counter affidavit about the allegations.