Revenue officials thwart encroachment bid in Munnar

Cases registered in connection with two incidents

Encroachers are on the prowl in Munnar with two government plots coming under encroachment recently. However, revenue officials thwarted the attempts and cases had been registered in this regard.

According to a revenue official, encroachers become active on holidays and during general functions when officials are busy with other duties.

This time a resort group encroached on two cents of an anganvadi at Munnar Colony and constructed a concrete retaining wall.

According to Devikulam Subcollector S. Premkrishnan, the resort owner illegally constructed the retaining wall on the premises of the anganwadi. The anganwadi teacher was not present as she was on election duty and noticed the encroachment only on Monday.

On being informed, the Revenue Divisional Office at Devikulam took action and demolished the wall.

Office vandalised

In another incident, encroachers broke open the special revenue office at Ikka Nagar and vandalised the office. They had also locked the door with another lock.

The officer in charge was out of station and it was noticed when he came back. Revenue officials reached the spot and broke open the lock. Land records kept at the office were found misplaced and strewn all over.

In 2008, the Revenue Department had resumed over 50 cents of encroached government land and the building was made a special revenue office in 2014.

It was suspected that encroachers broke open the door on Saturday or Sunday night.

Mr. Premkrishnan said the special revenue office had been shifted to the RDO office at Devikulam and the building was being converted to a guest house. A case had been registered in connection with the incident, he said. A revenue special squad would be monitoring the area, he said.