Revenue Minister disputes CM's statement on encroachments

Thiruvananthapuram, July 5 (UNI) Rejecting the claim of Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan that he had reclaimed 316 acres of land from the Tata Tea Company in Munnar, his cabinet colleague and Revenue Minister K P Rajendran today said the land belonged to the Forest Department.

Making a statement in the state assembly in response to the demand of Opposition leader Oommen Chandy, he said Tata held no land on Munnar-Udumalpet road as claimed by the Chief Minister.

Mr Rajendran said the reclaimed land was under the possession of Forest Department since 1971.

A spokesman of the Tata Tea Company also said the reclaimed land did not belong to them.

The Chief Minister, who himself led the anti-encroachment operation in Munnar last Tuesday, claimed that the Special Task Force, headed by K Suresh Kumar had recovered 316.53 acres of land from Tata and another 917.28 acres closed to it would be taken back soon.

UNI