The Devikulam SubCollector has issued notices to a company under a CPI(M) leader and another one based in Chennai to resume land they have encroached upon at Kottakambur, under the proposed Kurinji sanctuary.
These two companies are on the list of 150 major encroachers as per the documents with the Revenue Department. This is a follow-up to the cancellation of ownership rights of 20 acres owned by Joice George, MP, and his family at Kottakambur on November 9.
The notices were issued to Royal Plantations under Reji, a CPI(M) leader based at Perumbavoor, and George Myjo Company based in Chennai to produce land documents by the first week of January and the first week of February respectively.
A revenue official told The Hindu that the notices were issued for examining the documents and surveying the land under the companies.
Royal Plantations had allegedly encroached on nearly 100 acres using the power of attorney of farmers there. It had been disqualified as a company for flouting registration rules. The company allegedly ‘owned’ 62 acres in addition to the 100 acres encroached upon by it.
The Chennai-based company too had encroached upon revenue land at Kottakambur in a similar manner. Though it had expressed its willingness to hand over the land to the Revenue Department, the latter delayed action to officially examine the documents to plug legal loopholes.
The Revenue Department had initiated stern action against encroachments following a High Court order emphasising the need to protect the fragile ecology of Devikulam taluk.
