Special task force to evict 226 active encroachments on government land in Munnar

District Collector Sheeba George submitted a revised list of encroachments in Idukki before the Kerala High Court on October 16. The total number of 336 encroachments have been divided into six categories.

The State government formed a special task force to oversee the removal of encroachments in Munnar and other parts of Idukki district and has identified 226 active encroachments on government land in eight villages of Munnar.

District Collector Sheeba George submitted a revised list of encroachments in Idukki before the Kerala High Court on October 16. The total number of 336 encroachments have been divided into six categories.

A top Revenue department official told The Hindu that the actual number of active and pending cases was 226. “The total list of encroachments is 336 cases, and recently, the Revenue department removed the duplicated names and already action-taken cases from the list after detailed scrutiny. The total encroachments and its present status was also included in the list.” said the official.

“The task force already evicted four encroachments and reclaimed nearly 250 acres of government land. The action will continue against the 222 cases. The task force removed the encroachments after completing all legal proceedings. The team will continue the eviction process in the coming days,” said the official.

The official said, “As per the list, 80 encroachments are small, including religious and cultural institutional buildings and home settlements below five cents. The task force will not evict people who have nowhere else to go except the homes they live in. As of now, the task force evicts only big encroachments from the list,” said the official.

Idukki Sub-Collector Arun S. Nair and the assistant cardamom settlement officer, Kumily, Priyan Alex Rebello led the eviction at Udumbanchola and Devikulam taluks. Devikulam Sub-Collector Rahul Krishna Sharma will supervise the task force and submit daily reports to the District Collector, who and her team would monitor the entire eviction activities.

The task force on October 19 evicted encroachments of 229.76 acres in Devikulam and Udumbanchola taluks. Officials took over 224.21 acres and buildings at Anaviratty village in Devikulam and 5.55 acres at Chinnakkanal in Udumbanchola. The task force removed two encroachments and reclaimed 2.95 acres of land at Chinnakkanal and Pallivasal villages, near Munnar, on Saturday.