Kerala recovers land worth Rs 160.45 crore from encroachers

Thiruvananthapuram, May 26 (UNI) Kerala has recovered 350 acres of government land worth Rs 160.45 crore in the last one week, after a task force was formed to look into illegal encroachments in the State, Revenue Minister K P Rajendran said today.

A total of 137.44 acres worth Rs 68 crore were recovered from Idukki, where a special task force was engaged in evicting encroachers from the hilly tracts of Munnar, he told reporters here.

With the demolition drive progressing in the State, lots of complaints had come up, he said, adding that a 'Land Records Cell' would come up in all the district collectorates to look into the grievances.

When asked if the demolition drive would be suspended for the period, he stressed that it would continue.

Pointing out that the demolition drive was aimed at large scale encroachments and bigger structures, he said the officials had been asked to spare poor people.

Regarding the protest by a section of traders in Kochi against the demolition drive there, the minister said the Government did not intend to harm the business community, but emphasised that illegal constructions would be demolished.

Stating that the demolition drive was going on in all the districts, he said the second largest recovered land was in Kannur (67 acres, worth 71 lakh), followed by Wayanad (64 acres, worth 2.5 crore).

Eviction notices had been served to 3,662 persons.

Regarding Munnar, he said criminal charges would be framed against corrupt officials who had helped the land mafia.

UNI