A task force formed by the State government to oversee the removal of encroachments in Munnar and other parts of Idukki district launched the drive on Thursday, by removing a total of 229.76 acres of land under Devikulam and Udumbanchola taluks. According to officials, the revenue officials took over 224.21 acres of land and buildings at Anaviratty village under the Devikulam taluk. Officials said the encroachments had been removed following a Supreme Court order. A board depicting government ownership was fixed on the land.
Another 5.55 acres of encroached land was taken over at Chinnakkanal under Udumbanchola taluk on Thursday morning. According to Revenue department officials, the cardamom plantation and buildings were under the possession of Tiju Kuriakose, an Adimali resident. The revenue officials started the eviction drive around 4 a.m. on Thursday and completed the process around 7 a.m. The eviction drive was led by Udumbanchola Land Records Tahsildar Seema Joseph.
Report to High Court
According to Revenue department officials in a recent report to the High Court, the District Collector said there were 330 land encroachment cases in Munnar. The land of Mr. Kuriakose was 14th on the list. “In 2020, the Revenue department issued a notice to Mr. Kuriakose after it was found that it was a poramboke land of the Anayirankal dam catchment area. The land owner filed an appeal before the Collector, which was denied,” said officials.
Ms. Joseph said the revenue team recovered 2.2422 hectares of land at Sinkukandam under the Chinnakkanal village in Idukki. “The land owner did not approach the court. The District Collector cancelled a review petition and ordered eviction,” said Ms. Joseph. The task force members did not destroy the agricultural goods or buildings in the evicted land.
