Parunthumpara: The Kerala High Court has directed that no construction should be allowed in Parunthumpara without a Revenue NOC (No Objection Certificate). The court also ordered that no vehicle carrying construction materials should be allowed to enter Parunthumpara. This directive follows the demolition of an illegal cross by the Revenue Department on Monday.

The High Court’s strict directives came after this development. Until now, there were no restrictions on construction activities in the Parunthumpara region. Only three taluks in Munnar had such restrictions. However, the High Court has now mandated that no construction activities should take place in Parunthumpara without a Revenue NOC. The court also inquired about how multi-story buildings were erected in the area and questioned why the Revenue Department had not intervened to stop these constructions. It also asked whether authorities had been monitoring the ongoing road construction and tarring in the region.

A police case has been filed against Kottarathil Sajith Joseph from Thrikkodithanam, near Changanassery, for erecting a concrete cross on encroached land. The court questioned why the case against him was filed solely for violating the prohibition order, pointing out that the cross was erected with specific intentions. The court has asked the police to investigate whether more charges could be brought against him.

Additionally, the court has ordered that a full list of land encroachers be submitted by Thursday. It has instructed that those who have illegally occupied the land be made parties to the case. Vandiperiyar and Peerumedu Panchayats have been added as parties in the case.

On Monday at 4 PM, a team from the Revenue Department, led by LR Tahsildar S.K. Sreekumar, arrived in Parunthumpara and demolished the cross. Subsequently, the LR Tahsildar filed a complaint against Sajith Joseph at the Vandiperiyar Police Station. Based on this complaint, the police registered an FIR.