Kerala govt evicts 5.5 acre of land in Munnar following HC order

Munnar: The Kerala government's task force evicted encroachments on 5.5 acre of government land in Chinnakanal on Thursday morning as part of the eviction drive that was undertaken in Munnar. After clearing the encroachments, the task force set up a board and sealed the existing area.

However, locals alleged that the task force is targeting the farmland of the migrant workers and conveniently shutting their eyes on the illegal constructions and rampant large-scale encroachments.

Following the Kerala High Court order to evict encroachers from government land at Munnar and other areas in Idukki and to restrict illegal constructions, the state government set up a task force and the eviction process was started.

On the first day of the process, 5.5 acres of land occupied by Chinnakanal native Tijo was cleared and a board was installed at the site. Unlike in the past, crops were not cut down. Land Revenue officer Seema Joseph explained that the land revenue department had just taken over the land where cardamom is cultivated. A report in this regard will be prepared and sent to the district collector. The land revenue department will recommend auction of the cardamom from the plantation, she said.

The building on the evicted land where plantation workers from other states stayed was also sealed during the day. Locals alleged that the revenue department is seizing the land of migrant farmers to hide the large-scale encroachments in Idukki. The land that has been cultivated for more than half a century has been sealed, a local said.

The land revenue department has submitted a report to the court stating there are 310 encroachments in Munnar. Among which, includes the land that was evicted today. Also, the department had identified 57 illegal constructions including CPI-M party offices.

It is not known as to whether action will be taken against such constructions or not. But, if efforts are solely taken to seize agricultural land alone then there are chances that protests might break out in the region, sources said.