IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE S.SIRI JAGAN WEDNESDAY, THE 9TH JUNE 2010 / 19TH JYAISTHA 1932 WP(C).No. 16647 of 2010(E) ---------------------------------------- PETITIONER(S): ------------------------ JOSE THOMAS, NADAKKUZHACKAL HOUSE, TRIVENI ROAD, NEAR MANGHATTU KAVALA, THODUPUZHA. BY ADVS. SRI.T.J.MICHAEL, SRI.JOSE MATHEW (KAVALAKALAM). RESPONDENT(S): --------------------------- 1. STATE OF KERALA, REPRESENTED BY DISTRICT COLLECTOR, IDUKKI. 2. THE VILLAGE OFFICER, THODUPUZHA. R1 & R2 BY GOVERNMENT PLEADER SRI. P.N.SANTHOSH THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 09/06/2010, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: Kss S. SIRI JAGAN, J. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - W.P.(C)No. 16647 of 2010 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dated this the 9th day of June, 2010 J U D G M E N T The petitioner is aggrieved by Ext.P3 stop memo issued by the Village Officer, Thodupuzha, whereby the petitioner has been directed to stop the filling up of land and construction activities in the petitioner's property which according to the Village Officer is in violation of the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wet Land Act, 2008. According to the petitioner, the property will not answer the definition of paddy land and wet land in the Act and therefore the entire proceedings are without jurisdiction. The learned Government Pleader would submit that, the Village Officer has detected certain activities in the property of the petitioner which comes within the purview of the Act and therefore he has taken appropriate steps to prevent the same reported the matter to the higher authorities and the District Collector is seized of the matter. W.P.(C)No. 16647 of 2010 -2- 2. Having heard both sides, I am of opinion that having initiated proceedings under the Act by issuing Ext.P3, the District Collector has to take it to its logical conclusion as expeditiously as possible. Accordingly I dispose of this writ petition with a direction to the District Collector, Idukki to pass final orders pursuant to Ext.P3 as contemplated in the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wet Land Act, 2008 as expeditiously as possible, at any rate within a period of one month from the date of receipt of a copy of this judgment, after affording an opportunity of being heard to the petitioner. S. SIRI JAGAN JUDGE shg/