HC orders maintenance of status quo on Methran paddy land

Kochi: The High Court Tuesday ordered maintenance of status quo by all parties concerned in the matter of a paddy field in an area at ecologically sensitive Kumarakom in Kottayam district.

The order was issued by Justice A Mohammed Mustaq considering a plea filed by paddy cultivater N K Alexander against the sanction given by the Kerala government to a private developer to use 378 acres of paddy land at Methran Kayal Padasekharam in Kumarakom for a tourism project.

The petitioner submitted that he owns 7.8 hectares of paddy land in the village and that such a project coming up would have an adverse impact on his agriculture activities.

This area falls in Ramsar site as protected wetland. The project, presently protrayed as an eco-tourism project, is an ultra-luxury five star hotel and resorts. Any activity other than paddy cultivation would affect his rights, he said.

The state government has given in principle clearance for the project.