KARIBHAGHOM COIR INDUSTRIES, Vs. THE STATE OF KERALA,

JUDGEMENT

(1.) PETITIONERS -Co -operative Societies are stated to be engaged in the manufacture of coir yarn, processed coir etc. According to them, they procure coconut husks and ret them in the nearby Kovalam canal to obtain fibre for the purpose of making coir mats and other products. Approximately 10,000 people in the above unrecognised sector depend on the lagoon for retting activities.

(2.) THE primary prayer in the original petition is to quash Ext.P2. There is a further prayer for a declaration that the petitioners and their members would be at liberty to continue their coconut husk retting activity at Kovalam Canal (Lagoon) at Panathura -Kovalam in Thiruvananthapuram District. There is yet another prayer for issuance of an appropriate order restraining respondent No. 2 from positioning "floating cottages" or doing any work of reclamation or related construction activities in Kovalam Canal in Thiruvananthapuram.

(3.) HAVING carefully perused the averments in the original petition and having considered the entire aspects of the matter, we are afraid that no relief can be granted to the petitioner, especially since no decision to stop retting activity in the lagoon (Kovalam Canal) was taken in the meeting.