The Kerala Revenue department’s special task force evicted a major encroachment and reclaimed 7.07 acres and a seven-storey hostel building owned by Tissan Thachankary, brother of former DGP Tomin J. Thachankary, at Thavalam in Chinnakkanal, near Munnar, on Monday.
According to Udumbanchola Land Records (LR) Tahsildar Seema Joseph, the task force reclaimed the land and building after completing proceedings as per the Land Conservancy Act. The task force also erected a government sign board on survey number 222/1 of the Chinnakkanal village.
“The task force will not evict students from the hostel as it will affect their studies in the nearby college. We have given 30 days’ notice to vacate the hostel,” said Ms. Joseph.
“The title deed produced by the owner claiming ownership of the land was from a different survey number, and it was the major proof to find it was an encroachment,” she said.
Officials said the task force led by Idukki Subcollector Arun S. Nair led the eviction of encroachments at Udumbanchola taluk on Monday.
“A taluk-level meeting of the special task force will be held at Devikulam on Tuesday. Devikulam Subcollector Rahul Krishna Sharma will chair the meeting. The meeting will discuss the encroachments on government lands in Devikulam taluk,” an official said.
“The special task force will evict 221 active encroachments in the eight villages in Munnar,” the official said.
Political parties and farmers groups alleged that the task force was reclaiming farmers’ land in the name of eviction drive.
