KOCHI: The state government on Tuesday informed the Kerala High Court that it is taking all steps to curb unauthorised occupation of government land in and around Munnar and to stop constructions undertaken without obtaining a no-objection certificate.
The government made the submission in an affidavit filed in response to a High Court directive to detail the steps taken against encroachments on government land in Idukki.
The government submitted that it has decided to make necessary amendments to the law/rules in this regard as the decision taken by the government would lead to many legal disputes and significantly affect the lives of people.
The revenue officials had registered cases under the Kerala Land Conservancy Act against encroachers and taken steps to evict illegal occupants. It said that based on the report submitted by Niveditha P Haran, then principal secretary, the authorities had taken action against encroachments and resumed encroached land after cancelling illegal pattas generated based on forged documents as well as controlling construction activities in the hill ranges.
Besides, action is being taken against the officials who had facilitated the illegal practices leading to land grabbing and rampant constructions in violation of the law.
The government established a special revenue office in 2010 for taking action against encroachment and bogus pattas. The Idukki district collector also passed an order in 2016 making the NOC of the revenue authorities mandatory for construction activities in the Munnar region, and fixing the criteria for granting such a certificate.
Subsequently, stop memos had been issued against illegal constructions, and in many cases, the parties had obtained a stay from the High Court against the stop memos. It also issued an order in 2022 directing to take action against quarrying, mining, and construction activities on assigned land and for resuming land under Kerala Land Assignment Act.