Construction work has been ordered to stop at a disputed site in Aikaranad panchayat of Ernakulam district after residents alleged that a private individual had encroached on Koorachithodu and obstructed its natural flow.
The residents raised the complaint in Kolenchery, saying construction linked to boundary works was being carried out over the traditional watercourse. The channel is located beside a main stream and has been used by local people for agricultural and other needs for several years, according to the report.
Residents staged a protest over the alleged encroachment, following which officials from Aikaranad panchayat and the village administration visited the site and conducted an inspection. The authorities then directed that all construction activity at the disputed location be stopped immediately.
The complaint centres on whether the construction has narrowed or blocked the natural course of Koorachithodu. The report does not establish that an encroachment has occurred; that determination is to be made through an official measurement of the site.
Revenue officials will lead the measurement and demarcation process, according to the authorities. The survey is expected to establish the position and extent of the watercourse in relation to the disputed construction and the adjoining property boundary.
Officials said action would be taken against those responsible if the measurement confirms that the stream has been encroached upon. They also stated that the watercourse would be restored to its previous condition if an encroachment is established.
The dispute highlights the administrative role of local bodies and revenue authorities in responding to complaints involving traditional drainage channels. For residents who depend on such channels for agriculture and other local uses, the immediate issue is whether the watercourse can continue to carry its natural flow while the property boundary dispute is resolved.
The next official step is the revenue-led measurement of the site. Further action will depend on the findings of that demarcation and inspection process.
