Firm co-owned by Shamseer's brother under a cloud over violation of CRZ, civic norms

Kozhikode: The firm co-owned by A N Shahir, brother of Kerala Legislative Assembly Speaker A M Shamseer, has been found making unauthorized construction after taking the building of the Harbour Department at South Beach here on lease for a period of 10 years.

Documents accessed as per the Right to Information (RTI) Act reveal that the building was given on lease without calling for tenders. And not a single rupee has been remitted as rent even six months after granting the contract.

The firm KK Pradep and Partners has made the construction “unauthorizedly” on the seashore without securing the permission of the Corporation or the Coastal Regulatory Zone Authority.

The managing partners of the firm are Speaker’s brother Shahir, R P Amar, and K K Pradeep.

Shahir is also a party in the contract documents signed with Port Officer K Aswini Pratap in January.

The Seaman Shed building and 15 cents of the land of the Harbour Department were given on lease. The monthly rent is Rs 45,000. However, this area commands a rent of Rs 2 lakh per month. The Harbour Department explains that Pradeep had earlier taken this property on lease and, hence, it was again given to him.

An investment of Rs 3 crore was made by the firm here. The Department further reasoned that after 10 years, it will become an asset to the port.

Meanwhile, the contention of the Harbour Department that the building was given on lease after calling for tenders has also fallen flat. The RTI documents reveal that the building was given on the basis of the decision of the Maritime Board.

The Harbour Department earlier invited Expressions of Interest. Over 10 people participated in the tender in which there were quotes to the tune of Rs 2 lakh. However, this tender was cancelled later.