Complaint alleges wetland reclamation in Edakochi

Kochi: A complaint regarding wetland reclamation has been raised with district collector. As per the complaint filed by Edakochi South former councillor Abhilash Thoppil, wetland near Edakochi village office continued to be reclaimed, overlooking stop memo issued by revenue officials.Thoppil said Fort Kochi sub-collector intervened and issued a stop memo earlier. However, the same wetland is being filled without any hesitation. Despite informing about the land filling along with video evidence, neither police nor revenue department is willing to stop it, he alleged in the complaint.For the past one month, 2.5 acres of wetland near Sabarmati Junction on Edakochi Palamuttam Road is being continuously filled. More than half of the wetland has already been filled.Although approximately 50 cents is shown as residential land (purayidam) in revenue records, it is an area filled with water. Under the cover of land shown as residential in records, entire wetland is being filled. Approximately 18 cents of govt poramboke canal that existed in this area has also been filled up.Currently, filling is being carried out behind a massive 15-foot-high wall built around the wetland, in such a manner that no one can see it from outside. Corporation has clarified that the wall was constructed without permission, he said in the complaint.Loads of construction debris and waste are being used for the filling, he said.