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The State government on Monday informed the Kerala High Court that no government sanction had been obtained by the Kannan Devan Hills Plantation for using its nine bungalows in Munnar for tourism purposes.
In an affidavit, the State government said the contention of the company that it was entitled to operate the bungalows for tourism purposes based on the amended provision of the Kerala Land Reforms Act was untenable. In fact, the government had issued certain guidelines on conversion of plantation land for use of tourism purposes.
The guidelines make it mandatory for those who used five per cent of land in a plantation area as per the amended provision to obtain sanction from various authorities such as the district collector, State Land Board, agricultural department, labour department and other authorities.
The beneficiaries of the amended Act should give employment to the locals in the tourism initiatives in the plantation. Besides, only 10 per cent out of the 5 per cent land permitted for other activities could be utilised for tourism purposes. As per the guidelines, the tourism initiatives should be sanctioned by the authorities based on plans and sketches along with appropriate applications made before the district collector and secretary, State Land Board.
Those who were in possession of forest lands should obtain appropriate concurrence of the Central government for converting the plantation area for tourism purposes.
The affidavit was filed in response to a writ petition by Kanan Devan Hills Plantation Company challenging the order of the State government staying the Munnar panchayat’s decision to grant the company licence to operate its bungalows for tourism purposes.
The government pointed out that the High Court had earlier directed that the final order passed by the Ombudsman for local bodies should not be given effect without the permission of the court. However, the company was already operating the bungalows for tourism purposes.
The government said the company had misled the Munnar Gram Panchayat and got the licence issued.
The affidavit also alleged that the company was claiming huge extent of land parcels in Munnar “on the basis of sham and fraudulent documents.” The company, which was registered in the UK had indulged in illegal transfer of huge extents of government land, including in Munnar town.
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