Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan has demanded that the special task force set up for Munnar evictions (when he was Chief Minister) continue.
Speaking at an all-party meeting convened by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy here on Friday, the Opposition leader said that a few revenue officials could not undertake the task of evicting the encroachers (during his time). The task force was formed to coordinate the departments concerned.
Mr. Achuthanandan said that encroachments should not be classified as small and large. All were illegal. However, those who squatted on government land for building houses or farming and have no other land in their possession should be recognised as settlers.
He said that resurveys would only lead to regularisation of encroachments. Encroachments should be identified on the basis of existing survey records. Constructions on ecologically fragile land were illegal. Those buildings would have to be demolished. Otherwise, the government would itself be breaking the law.
Mr. Achuthanandan said the previous government had evicted encroachers from 364.27 hectares. The present government should examine whether those land had been encroached upon again. The encroachers should be punished.
He wondered whether Revenue Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan's statement that demolitions by the previous government amounted to ‘State terrorism' was intended to help the so-called resort mafia. Several cases against the evictions initiated by the previous government were now before court. The Minister's statement would tend to weaken the cases.
In response to Mr. Achuthanandan's remark, Mr. Radhakrishnan told the media that the previous government itself had corrected its steps and stopped the demolitions. Subsequently, it had taken over a resort. The present government agreed with that phase of the evictions by the previous government.
The Minister said there were differences within the Left Democratic Front over the approach of the previous government. The present government's approach was different from that of the previous government's.
