Authorities in Aikkaranad panchayat have ordered an immediate halt to all construction work at a disputed site following a complaint that a private individual allegedly encroached on Koorachithodu, a traditional water channel in the Kolenchery area of Ernakulam district.
Residents protested after alleging that construction connected to boundary work had obstructed the natural flow of the channel. The watercourse runs alongside the main stream and has been used by local residents for agricultural and other needs for several years, according to a report by Mathrubhumi – Kochi.
The complaint alleges that the private construction was being carried out by encroaching on Koorachithodu and altering the channel’s natural course. The report does not establish that an encroachment has occurred; the allegation is now subject to an official inspection and measurement process.
Following the residents’ complaint, officials from Aikkaranad panchayat and the village administration visited the disputed location and conducted a preliminary inspection. They subsequently directed that every form of construction work at the site be stopped immediately.
Revenue officials will carry out a formal measurement and demarcation of the area, the authorities said. The exercise is expected to determine the location and extent of the water channel and establish whether any part of it has been occupied or altered as alleged by residents.
The dispute places a local drainage and water-management feature at the centre of a land-boundary conflict. Traditional channels can serve multiple functions in settlements, including carrying runoff, supporting agricultural activity and connecting local drainage networks. Any obstruction may therefore have consequences beyond the disputed property, although the supplied report does not state that flooding or other specific damage has already occurred at the site.
Officials said action would be taken against those responsible if the measurement confirms that an encroachment has taken place. They also stated that the original condition of the water channel would be restored.
The immediate administrative steps are the continuation of the construction stoppage and the revenue-led measurement of the disputed area. Further action will depend on the findings of that demarcation exercise.
