The actions taken jointly by the District Collector and the Superintendent of Police have started sending panic waves in the ‘mafiadom’ of the land, sand, quarry, and the real estate lobbies in the district that enjoyed strong political backing.
The seizure of 13 tipper lorries and two earth-movers which were allegedly used for illegal earth removal at Kizhvaipur in Mallappally taluk in a raid on March 1 was one of the major Police-Revenue actions against the land lobby in the district.
The raid was conducted on the basis of a phone call received by the SP, Putta Vimayaditya, on March 1 that a private party was indiscriminately razing a hilly spot beyond the limit permitted by the Revenue authority.
The SP, in consultation with the Collector, had directed Kizhvaipur Sub-Inspector R. Chandrashekharan Nair to inspect the site and take immediate action against the culprits.
The SI said the private party was found mining earth beyond the permitted level. The police party seized two earth-movers and 13 tipper lorries, besides taking into custody the land owner, an agent and four drivers. Thiruvalla Revenue Divisional Officer A. Gopakumar and officials of the Mining and Geology Department inspected the site and found violation of the Minor Mineral Concession Rules there. The police registered a case and handed over the vehicles to the District Revenue Authority for further action, the SI said.
Provoked by such raids, the land lobby has allegedly started moves to unseat District Collector V.N. Jithendran and Putta Vimayaditya.
The Collector and the SP had been acting with commendable rapport in serving the public, says Peelipose Thomas, All India Congress Committee member.
