Steps mooted to fully utilise Govt-owned land outside State

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, DEC. 13. The Estimates Committee of the State Assembly has recommended several measures to fully utilise Government-owned and controlled properties outside the State, including a comprehensive study on the extent of land held by the Government.

The Committee, which submitted its report to the Speaker, Mr. M. Vijayakumar, besides recommending a comprehensive study on the extent of land held by the Government in various States, called for a review of their ownership, transfer, and lease documents. The measure has been recommended with a view to clearing doubts about the Government holdings. It wanted steps to recover lost documents and coordinated functioning among Government departments.

The Committee, chaired by Mr. P. Raju, has recommended raising the rent of Travancore House on a par with the commercial rates prevalent in Delhi for all organisations functioning in the compound. Mr. Raju and other committee members said that rent was not being collected from Keltron and KSEB offices which functioned in the Travancore House. The State Bank of Travancore was also functioning from the premises. In reply to a question, he said that the Malayalam Communications Ltd, which runs the Kairali Channel, was occupying 2,500 sq. ft. space paying a rent at a rate of Rs. 75 per sq. foot. The State Government was losing an estimated Rs. 7.5 lakh a year on account of the low rent recovery from its premises.

With regard to the Kerala House, the committee wanted the Government to ascertain the total area it held in Kerala house, besides taking steps to review the utilisation of the buildings in Kerala House compound. It also wanted the Government to take strong and time-bound steps to recover the rent due to it from the Central Government. The committee recalled that a detailed study had been conducted by it way back in 1993, and a special report had been submitted to prevent the Kapurthala House and Travancore House from being handed over to private parties or organisations and to properly utilise it. The committee has asked the government to implement the recommendation of the consultant who had been asked to look into the issue of proper utilisation of property.

The press meet was attended by committee members, Mr. A. Kanaran, Mr. K.P. Vishwanathan, Mr. K.C. Joseph, Mr. Govindan Master, and Mr. P. Supal. The committee also recommended utilisation of the Kerala pavilion at Pragati Maidan by organising exhibitions and fairs promoting Kerala culture and tourism potential. The committee said that eight acres of land, known as Tuglak gardens was lying unutilized. Around 2.82 acres of land had been given on lease to the Asan Memorial school for a 20 year lease. This was later converted to 99 year lease. Later, the Government released 23 cents more to the Asan school. Around three acres had been handed over to the Cochin Palace Board, which handed it over to Apollo Hospital.

The Committee wanted the Government to conduct a detailed inquiry into the Tughlak Gardens issue, particularly in the light of the fact that the government officials were unable to give proper information about it. It wanted the Government to take steps to measure the entire area taking into account the area where Apollo Hospital is situated, the Asan School and recover land in their possession in excess to the area mentioned in the lease contract.

With regard to the Kerala House, Kanniyakumari, the Committee felt wanted the Government to measure the actual area in its possession, besides taking steps to recover alienated land. It expressed concern at the fact that neither the Tourism, Public Works or General Administration Departments were in the possession of any documents about the extent of land the Government held. But the committee is convinced that the Kerala Government had 28 acres in its possession and that a major portion of that land had been alienated. Besides, there no clarity with regard to the extent of land now being held by the Government.

The committee recommended strong steps to evict unauthorised settlement at the Padmanabhapuram Palace, at Thakala, besides getting the proceedings of the 1974 survey settlement cancelled. Steps should be taken to bring the palace compound under the control of the Archeological department. The committee also touched upon the Government land in Pollachi, Mysore, and Varanasi.

With regard to the lease land in the State, Mr. Raju said that it had come to the committee's notice that lease rent was not being paid in a large number of cases, causing a huge loss in revenue for the state. It also called for a revision of the leased rate in tune with the changing times. Mr. Raju pointed out that small pieces of land measuring two cents and more were in possession of leasees. It would be uneconomical to collect lease rent, which in any cases were in default. The best way out for the Government would be to transfer ownership of these at the prevalent market rates.

It said that the Revenue Department was lagging behind in taking appropriate punitive action in cases of violation of lease agreement.

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