Right by the side of the beautiful Vembanad backwaters in Kerala's Alappuzha district, around 150 kms from Thiruvananthapuram, lies the controversial plot owned by Kerala Minister Thomas Chandy - state's richest legislator. The land has been set aside as an agricultural area in accordance to the state rules, but locals claim the paddy field is being filled for the construction of parking space for the Lake Palace Resort owned by Mr Chandy. The illegal land filling has been continuing in this area, even after Mr Chandy became a minister in April 2017.