Kerala to roll out SOP, boost staff strength to fast-track land conversion cases
The state revenue department conducted a meeting regarding this matter.
According to senior revenue officials, the move will leverage technology, including satellite imagery, to ensure that genuine cases are approved while preventing illegal conversion of wetlands and paddy lands. At present, such decisions rest primarily with revenue divisional officers (RDOs).
The new system will also empower deputy collectors (DCs) to take up these cases, raising the number of decision-making officials from 27 to 72. Officials believe this expansion, along with the SOP, will reduce bottlenecks.
'Applicants have often been forced to run from pillar to post due to delays and lack of clarity. With more officers and a clear SOP, we expect faster and fairer decisions,' said a senior official.
According to the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act of 2008, conversion of wetlands for residential or commercial use, prior to 2008 will not have legal validity. To verify such claims, authorities intend to use satellite imageries in addition to supporting documentation like tax returns, building plans, and home loan documents. Property document writers point to shortcomings in the land data bank established under the 2008 Act to support their claim that the new system is necessary.
'Many entries were made without site visits, relying only on office records. As a result, lands converted decades earlier were still marked as paddy fields. An SOP and more decision-makers can finally resolve these long-pending issues,' said P R Ramakrishnan, a document writer from Kottayam. The impact is expected to be significant for residents like Mariyakutty, a senior citizen, from Kanjirappally, who have struggled for approval to rebuild her family home.
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