Construction work at a disputed site along the Koorachithodu canal in Aikaranad panchayat near Kolenchery has been ordered to stop after local residents alleged that a private individual had encroached on the watercourse and obstructed its natural flow.
Aikaranad panchayat and village authorities inspected the location following complaints from residents. Officials subsequently directed that all construction activity at the disputed site be suspended immediately, according to a report by Mathrubhumi – Kochi.
Residents alleged that the construction was being carried out by encroaching on the Koorachithodu canal while building a boundary structure around private property. The canal runs alongside a major watercourse and has been used by local residents for agricultural requirements and other purposes for several years, the report said.
The complaint centres on whether construction along the property boundary has narrowed or otherwise interfered with the canal’s natural course. The available report does not establish that an encroachment has occurred. Officials have said that the issue will be determined after the disputed area is measured and demarcated.
Revenue authorities will lead the measurement and demarcation exercise, which officials said would be conducted soon. The process is expected to establish the legally recognised boundary of the canal and clarify whether any part of the construction occupies the watercourse or affects its flow.
The immediate stop-work direction places the construction on hold while the local administration examines the complaint. Such site-level disputes can affect more than property boundaries when they involve traditional canals and drainage channels, particularly where watercourses continue to serve agricultural land and nearby settlements.
Officials said that action would be taken against those responsible if the survey confirms that an encroachment has taken place. They also stated that the canal would be restored to its previous condition if the allegation is proven. The next formal step is the revenue authorities’ survey and demarcation of the disputed site.
