No change in decision on demolition drive: Achuthanandan

Thiruvananthapuram, June 13 (UNI) Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan today asserted that there was no change in the decision to evict illegal occupants from public lands and said the Special Task Force (STF) engaged in the drive in Munnar was asked to be more cautious in differentiating between genuine and false title deeds.

The Cabinet Sub-Committee had only pointed out ''certain faults'' to the STF and they understood their mistakes, he told reporters after the Cabinet meeting here.

Denying reports that STF Special Officer K Sureshkumar had expressed desire to quit the post, Mr Achuthanandan said such reports were baseless.

''There was a confusion with regard to two title deeds - Vrindavan and Ravindran Pattayams - in vogue in Munnar. All the Vrindavan Pattayams are illegal where as half of the Ravindran Pattayams were legally given on the orders of the Government. The STF team had a confusion with regard to the Ravindran Pattayams and the demolition of a portion of the CPI office had taken place like this,'' he added.

Mr Achuthanandan pointed out that strict orders had been issued not to touch offices of parties and places of worship even if they were in encroached government lands.

Asked if the law of the land could be different for parties and others, he said instructions in this regard had been given and ''any one could interrupt it in his own ways.'' He said it was for the courts to pass a judgement on the complaints that parties had built resorts on the land they got for the purpose of farming.

UNI