Kerala govt revises guidelines for construction on wetlands
Thiruvananthapuram- The Kerala government has revised the guidelines governing the ownership of constructions on wetlands and paddy fields.
According to the circular issued by the local self-government department in 2012, the ownership of a property converted from a paddy field or wetland or a house constructed on the property cannot be changed for 10 years. This meant that the ownership of neither the land nor the house could be transferred from one person to another person for 10 years.
The circular was passed following numerous complaints with regard to the massive land encroachment of wetlands and construction by land mafia and further transfer of the building and property for huge returns.
The new guidelines state that the constructions on wetland or paddy field that receive a permit based on Kerala Municipality Building Rules Act can be handed over to the inheritor of the present owner by will within the 10 years.
It allows to transfer the occupancy in the name of the inheritor within the same period, provided the inheritor complies with the stipulated time period of 10 years with regard to change of occupancy.
According to a senior town planning official, the new guidelines were introduced following the confusions prevailing in the earlier norms regarding the change of occupancy during 10 years. Hereafter, the owner can transfer the property in his successor’s name without considering the 10-years limit. Meanwhile, no transfer shall be made to a third party within the same period, he added.
Even before the Paddy and Wetland Protection Act, 2008 came into practice, the revenue documents would record the land as paddy field and hence many were denied permit for construction. That was when the government began to issue permits for constructions after leveling the paddy field.
In order to facilitate the people who do not own any land other than wetlands, the government had initiated to issue the permits. However, officials were instructed to issue the building permits only on the condition that there won’t be any change of occupancy for 10 years.
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