With wide spread encroachment on public lands continuing and transfer of government lands by faking documents unearthed in Chinnakanal near Munnar in Idukki district, the Kerala Government is for verifying all title deeds in the district.
Kerala Revenue Minister issued the order and asked to take action against all the encroachers. The order was issued after the committee constituted to look into land dealings in Chinnakanal unearthed large scale encroachment and illegal land transfers using fake documents. The officials have been asked to submit a report within six months to the government.
The sources said that all land dealings, land transfers and title deeds in Devikulam Taluk, would be scrutinised. The Taluk has been witness to large scale encroachment in the last many years. Even survey of the land would be taken up in the region to see if any public land was lost to encroachers, they said.
They said that some of resorts are known to have more than 100 acres of land in their possession respectively. All these possessions are said to be illegally got by faking documents.
The inquiry will also cover the role of revenue officials, who have helped the resort and land mafia to grab public land. The officials would also look into the illegal constructions coming up in the region and also its impact on environment. Despite restrictions, several multi-storied buildings have come up in the region and more constructions are going apace in the region.
With respect to forged title deeds in Chinnakanal, the revenue department has already initiated action against land grabbers and also officials who have been named in the report submitted by the committee that looked into the encroachment by Apotheosis Infrastructure Private limited. The revenue Minister has ordered to cancel their title deeds and also to initiative criminal cases against the owners for forging documents. The report also calls for action against officials, including retired persons, for helping in forging documents.
