J U D G M E N T

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Petitioners in the writ petition, two Private Limited Companies, seek to set aside Ext.P14 minutes of the meeting convened on 22.11.2013 by the Local Level Monitoring Committee, Varapuzha.

2. According to the petitioners, they have purchased 11.6 acres of land in Varapuzha Panchayat as per Exts.P1 to P4 Sale Deeds. After purchasing these properties in 2010-2011, the petitioners filed Exts.P6 and P7 applications seeking permission to develop the land purchased by them. On the basis of the applications submitted by the petitioners, the Village Officer inspected the land in question and submitted Ext.P8 report. The Village Officer observed that, from an enquiry made by him among the local residents, it has come out that the land in question is not used for paddy cultivation for long years. Though aquaculture production was attempted, due to the lay of the land and muddy nature of water body, the aquaculture was also not successful. The Village Officer observed that on the western side of the land, there is river and on the southern side, there is wetland which is not cultivated for long years. On the eastern side, there is a water canal and also dry la