The Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has directed the secretary of Karode grama panchayat in Thiruvananthapuram district to evict encroachers from a ‘puramboke’ land to ensure right of way for children. The commission was intervening in complaints over hurdles faced by the schoolchildren using the Kuzhinjanvila-Thazhevila road in the panchayat.

Acting on a complaint that a tiled roof building constructed after encroaching on puramboke land was preventing students from walking safely to school and coming in the way of smooth travel of school buses and other vehicles, the commission directed the Karode village officer, Karode grama panchayat secretary, and the Pozhiyoor station house officer to take action.

The panchayat secretary could seek the help of the station house officer (SHO) to evict the encroachers according to provisions of the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act. The Kerala State Electricity Board executive engineer (Neyyattinkara) was tasked with urgently shifting an electricity post that posed a hurdle to travel.

The commission’s full Bench comprising F. Wilson, B. Mohankumar, and K.K. Shaju also directed the vicar of St. Mary’s MSC church to relocate a church pillar situated at the starting point of the road. The petition was filed by A. Ajeesh, Kuzhinjanvila ward member of Karode grama panchayat.