Southern States - Kerala

Kerala Govt. orders vigilance inquiry

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM JUNE 27. The Kerala Revenue Minister, K. M. Mani, told the Assembly on Thursday that a vigilance inquiry had been ordered into the issue of fake title deeds on Government land at Devikulam in Idukki.

Replying to a debate on the demands for grants for land revenue, district administration and miscellaneous, housing and relief on account of natural calamities, the Minister said the present Government had detected and taken action to retrieve the land.

Mr. Mani did not concede to the demand of the Opposition for a judicial inquiry into the matter.

On the Mathikettan issue, he said the encroached land there was the Cardamom Hill Reserve. While the Revenue Department issued the leases for the land, the Forest Department was in charge of the trees, which were protected under the Preservation of Trees Act.

Mr. Mani noted that cardamom rules had a strange provision that those who encroached on forest land and cultivated cardamom should be given the land on lease. However, the High Court had given an interim order in the case in June 1997 that the granting and renewal of the leases should be done only with the approval of the Centre. Accordingly, the Government had initiated steps to resume some of the land at Mathikettan.

However, on a representation from the CPI Udumbanchola mandalam secretary, P. K. Sadasivan, the LDF Government had issued a stay on January 11, 2000 against evictions in the entire Udumbachola taluk. Mr. Sadasivan had argued that the evictions would harm the CPI(M) and the LDF Government politically.

Subsequently, the Government moved the court for collection of premium and lease rent from occupants whose leases had not been renewed pending final verdict in the case. The court directed that premium and lease rent could be collected irrespective of the fact that the leases had not been renewed.

Mr. Mani also noted that the Santhanpara panchayat, which was under the control of the CPI(M), had tried to help regularise the encroachments. It had certified that the occupants were permanent settlers of the area.

He said the Government had given title deeds to 6,693 settlers in the hilly areas. Only, 8,517 applications out of 26,000 remained to be processed. On the distribution of excess land, only 1,102 hectares remained to be distributed.

He said the Government had started enforcement of the legislation passed for the debt relief to farmers. The farmers could apply for relief up to June 30. Benefits would be granted only after that date. Smilarly, a law for regulation of sand mining was also under implementation. `Kadavu committees' were being formed in most of the districts. A few had completed the process while the others would do it in a few weeks time.

The Minister denied that the Government was not doing enough for revenue recovery. Despite the employees' strike, Rs. 52 crores had been realised last year. This was only a few crores below the recovery in the previous year. The amount under Government stays was brought down from Rs 123 crores to Rs. 73 crores. He said the previous Government had left the Housing Board in a crisis. As much as 1.48 lakh applicants were to be given loans. Repayments to the Hudco had been in default. Now, the Housing Board was trying to avail itself of Rs. 300 crores as low interest loan to repay the Hudco loans. The Board would save about Rs. 50 crores as the interest cost would be only 12 per cent against the 17 per cent charged by Hudco.

After the Minister's reply, the House voted the demands. These included Rs. 78.52 cores for land revenue and Rs. 76.70 for district administration and Miscellaneous. The House voted these demands for 61 votes against 29 and 61 votes against 28 respectively.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Kerala Govt. orders vigilance inquiry
• State abandons hope on Pooyamkutty
• Crime Branch questions Surya TV staff
• One killed as train hits van
• Cusat counselling from July 15
• Protest against `raid' on Surya TV

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu