Kerala decides to act tough on Munnar encroachers
By IANSTuesday, February 2, 2010
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan Tuesday said the cabinet has decided to act tough against all encroachers at the Munnar hill station with immediate effect.
Achuthanandan told reporters that the cabinet has decided to accept the report of its sub-committee which visited Munnar last week to see the encroachments, which include those by the Tatas.
“We have decided to initiate legal steps to see that the illegal check dams that have been constructed by the Tatas in Munnar be demolished. All resorts and illegal encroachments would be taken over, a Munnar township would be constructed following the prescribed norms and the High Court would be approached to set up a special court in Munnar to deal with these illegal encroachments,” he said.
A three-member committee comprising state Irrigation, Home and Revenue Ministers would see that these guidelines are implemented and would report to the cabinet sub-committee and also to the cabinet on the progress that has been made.
“All those who own land in Munnar prior to May 1977 would be given title deeds at the earliest,” added Achuthanandan.
Last week, the seven-member cabinet sub-committee had visited Munnar and saw the encroachments. The visit came after an emergency meeting of Kerala’s ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) liaison committee here Friday asked the government to take strong steps against all encroachments at the popular Munnar hill station, including the Tatas.
Set 2,500 feet above sea level, Munnar in Idukki district is often called the “tea town” of Kerala because it has more than 50,000 acres of tea estates, first owned by James Finlay and Company. Changing hands a few times since then, it is now with Tata Tea since 1983.
Last week, former chief justice of Kerala High Court, S.R. Bannurmath, lashed out at the Achuthanandan government and said “green” Munnar has now become “brown” Munnar because of widespread encroachments by the rich and mighty.
Leader of Opposition Oommen Chandy also visited Munnar last week and said the Achuthanandan government has failed miserably in containing encroachments.
