Docket Number:

Type of Service:

District:

Local Body Type:

Local Body:

Name:

Contact Address: Jacob K C H.No. 52/2558, Sunil Nivas L.M.Paily Road Vytilla, Cochin 682019.

Brief Description on Grievance: Respected Sir, I am a senior citizen and a resident of Melukavu, Kerala, retired from Central Government Service. I am writing to bring to your attention a matter of great concern and seek your intervention. I am the owner of three single-shutter shop rooms and a single-storied house situated behind the shops, and is located at Melukavu-Mechal road, opposite the Catholic Church, and above the CMS Higher Secondary School, Melukavu. The construction of this house and the shop rooms dates back to 1975 even before the construction of the CMS Higher Secondary School and was legally transferred to my name during 1994 from my father, Mr. O.S. Chacko, an Indian Army personnel. The earlier number of my house was 2/167. When the ward change happened, the Panchayath officials assigned the numbers 4/211, 4/212, 4/213 for the shop rooms and 4/214 to the home, and corresponding "patta" for numbering the houses was nailed in every building (Photographs attached for your reference). In 2019, I had approached the Melukavu Panchayath seeking a permit for the renovation and construction of an additional floor due to water leakage issues. No receipt was provided upon submission of the application, However, complications arose when the Panchayath officials failed to register three out of the four assigned numbers (4/212, 4/213, 4/214) in their records, Subsequent inquiries revealed that only the number 4/211 was entered into the Panchayath records, and the other three numbers were omitted during the transition from manual to computer records due to the mistake of the section handling staff. Despite multiple attempts to rectify the omission, the Panchayath officials refuse to acknowledge the omission, rejecting all submissions from my end as the error was made by the panchayath staff itself. I have emphasized the existence of the house since 1975, offering declarations and affidavits from neighbors or old photographs or documents as proof. They had informed to submit lot of documents from time to time, and all of these documents were duly submitted. In February 2022, I again submitted a comprehensive application, including all necessary documents, to address the issue and I had obtained a receipt for the same with number 8598230 (Image attached). Even new plan for the house was drawn and a report from a retired government surveyor was also submitted. However, the Panchayath remains unmoved, claiming that only the number 4/211 is only on their record and thus, the house is non-existent. The Panchayath's response has been unsatisfactory, with officials claiming that my property entire property including house is treated as one with number 4/211 due to an error in their records. They insist that I pay commercial property tax for this, despite my objection and evidence to the contrary. I find this perplexing, especially considering that the adjacent house, owned by my elder brother which was constructed only around 2001-2002 period, was correctly assigned the number 4/215 and numbers 4/212, 4/213, 4/214 are purposefully left blank without any reason and no houses or shops other than mine exists between the building number’s 4/211 and 4/215. The omission from Panchayath’s side has led to a denial of the rightful numbers for my property, while neighbouring properties have been correctly numbered. Even after numerous requests, site verifications, and submissions by Panchayath staff over the past four years, the Panchayath insists on denying the existence of the house behind the shops. The latest oral communication from the Panchayath suggests that, although I had paid taxes for the property under the commercial category, they are reluctant to rectify the omission in their records. I have invested considerable time and effort, making approximately more than 40+ visits to the Panchayath office, and yet the issue persists. I am currently staying with my son at Ernakulam which is 80kms distant from melukavu and every time, I have to travel this 80kms for a 5 minute verification of the Panchayath officials. To hide the error happened from panchayath, the earlier contention of the Panchayath officials were, I had no house and I only had 3 shop rooms of which square feet is taken together as a single commercial property and numbered 4/211. To support my point, I submitted copies of tax payments made for my house (numbered 2/167) from earlier years, ration cards, and kerosene permits issued in my mother's name, Smt. Annamma Chacko. These documents clearly indicate the existence of my house and asked how the kerosene permit and ration card be allotted if there was no house existed and they had no reply for that. After this, the oral reply received was that, I had the house, but I didn’t have shop rooms. There was no written reply given. For this, I submitted shop licenses issued by the Panchayath itself to substantiate the point that the shops also existed. The officials had no reply to give and refused to give their statement in writing. Again after repeated visits to the Panchayath, I insisted for a copy of assessment register which was refused and then I demanded for a written reply else I informed about filing a law suit, After this only I finally received a response from their side after 1 and a half years numbered SC3-462/2022 dated 20/07/2023, stating that my property has been assessed for commercial purposes under the number 4/211 based on the old number 2/167. However, this reply received raises questions about the conversion of a residential number into a commercial one. The Panchayath admits the validity of 2/167 but refuses to allocate a number for my house even though numbers are left blank in their system and they are falsely categorizing it as a commercial property. Furthermore, in their reply they claim that the house lacks proper setback according to new building rules, which, I must clarify that my house is an ancestral home constructed in 1975 and the new building rules are applicable only to properties constructed after the implementation of new Kerala Panchayat Building Rules, 2019. Despite numerous assurances during on-site verifications of more than 10 times, each time being assured that the matter will be resolved. However, the delays persist. I had made available all the necessary documents for obtaining the building number as instructed from the Panchayath. I am attaching copies of the application and the various documents submitted at Panchayath for your verification. 1) Application submitted by me at Panchayath on 16-02-2022 2) Copy of Legal Deed of 1994 3) Property tax for number 2/211 for the year 2017, 2019 , 2022 4) Possession Certificate 5) Land Tax paid receipt issued by The Village Officer, Melukavu 6) Property Tax paid receipts for my House having old number 2/167 for the years from 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014 7) Ration card number 1527070413 issued for my house bearing number 2/167 8) Kerosene Permit for my house for the years 1997 to 2001 9) No liability certiticate and general enquiry report 10) Ownership Certificate issued by Melukavu Panchayath 11) Ownership Certificate issued by KSEB for electrical connection 12) Surveyor’s report and Location Sketch 13) Copy of application receipt submitted at Panchayath 14) Copy of Shop license issued by Melukavu Panchayath 15) Photographs of “Patta” put in my home bearing number 4/214 and my brothers home 4/215 issued by the panchayath I seek your urgent intervention to rectify this situation and ensure a fair resolution to my longstanding issue with the Melukavu Panchayath. I am willing to provide any additional information or documents necessary for a swift and just resolution. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Sincerely, Jacob K C Olimackkal House, Above CMS High School Melukavu P.O. Melukavu – 686652 Address for Communication : Jacob K C H.No. 52/2558, Sunil Nivas L.M.Paily Road Vytilla, Cochin 682019. Mobile number : 9895855409, 9495179358 Email id : suniljames09@gmail.com

Receipt Number Received from Local Body: