Audit report holds Corporation responsible for permitting illegal construction on Kozhikode beach

The report of the Kerala State Audit Department (KSAD) on Kozhikode Corporation for the financial year 2021-22 has pushed the civic body to a corner with regard to the regularisation of illegal construction on Kozhikode beach, which had caused a controversy recently.

The report of the Kerala State Audit Department (KSAD) on Kozhikode Corporation for the financial year 2021-22 has pushed the civic body to a corner with regard to the regularisation of illegal construction on Kozhikode beach, which had caused a controversy recently.

The audit team has found that the Corporation did not demand or consider several documents that are otherwise necessary while regularising a construction. The report has cited the mistakes one after the other and has asked the Corporation to cancel the permit and take action on the officials who have erred.

The building that belongs to the Department of Ports has been leased out to a group that made alterations to the structure, which is currently occupied by a multinational coffee chain.

The audit report available on the KSAD website says that the group has not furnished any documents to prove ownership, land tax receipt, possession certificate, site plan, survey sketch or the report of the taluk survey wing. The Corporation had granted permission to the construction only based on the building plan, which has been cited as a grave mistake. Both overseers of the Corporation who inspected the site based on complaints and the town planning wing that inspected after the group submitted the permit application have failed to submit a proper or detailed report of the actual condition of the building, the report said.

On the other hand, the Port Officer who is the owner of the plot in question has not even signed on the application form. Instead, the person who has leased it out has signed on it. However, the Corporation considered the application and granted permit to the Port Officer, which the audit report said, is a serious offence.

The report also said that the Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority was misguided into permitting construction on the plot that is less than 50 metres away from the sea. The Corporation Secretary’s report to the KCZMA failed to mention the status of the building and that the application submitted was for addition and alteration.

The report concluded that the Corporation had granted permission to a building that has clearly violated the Kerala building rules.