The Aranmula Heritage Village Action Council (AHVAC) is exploring the possibility of initiating legal action against those allegedly abetting the violation of various laws to aid the land mafia, a statement issued by the action council said here on Saturday.
The statement signed by P.R. Shaji, action council general convener, said the district administration and some key Revenue officials, succumbing to political pressure, were trying to support land-grab by a private company in the name of the controversial airport project at Aranmula. The action council condemned the alleged move by the district administration to shift Revenue officials who had taken a stern stand against violation of laws by the land mafia.
Mr. Shaji alleged that the Pathanamthitta district administration’s stance favouring the airport company, that had reportedly kept 232 acres of excess land in its illegal possession, would create a conducive climate for the land mafia.
The government had already declared 232 acres of land in the possession of the private company as excess land which included 52 acres of illegally converted paddy land, identified as the site for runway of the proposed airport project.
The land in possession of the company lay scattered in the three villages of Aranmula, Kidangannur, and Mallappuzhaserry.
This was besides the 2.5 acres of land, originally owned by two scheduled caste families, transferred to another name reportedly without the knowledge of its original owners, the statement said.
Complaints pending
The complaints filed by two scheduled caste persons in this regard were pending before the District Collector, he said.
Now, the land mafia was trying to get certain exemptions in the Land Reforms Act to keep the excess land in its possession through dubious means, Mr. Shaji said.
The action council had called upon the government and the district administration to take necessary steps to distribute the excess land identified at Aranmula among the landless people with out delay.
