The State Government’s move to provide mutation to fragmented plantation lands has evoked criticism from the Opposition as well as leaders of the ruling coalition. Noting that giving mutation to fragmented lands will dilute the very essence of the Kerala Land Reforms (KLR) Act, the Opposition as well as the ‘Green MLA’ group in the ruling UDF said that the issue would be raised in the Assembly session that commences on June 10.
The government in an order issued on June 3 had asked the Idukki District collector to provide mutation to the plantation lands of Wagamon and Bonami estates.
Noting that the legalisation of the fragmented lands will have far reaching consequences, A K Balan of the CPM said: “The issue will be raised in the Assembly. With this order, the whole plantation sector will be in the hands of the real estate mafia.” He also said that once the plantations were fragmented the employees would be rendered jobless. Former Revenue Minister and CPI state secretariat member K P Rajendran also said that the issue would be raised in the Assembly. “Once mutation is provided, there will be no plantations left in the state. The previous LDF government had issued orders against providing mutation. But the present order will only weaken the KLR Act,” he said. V D Satheesan and T N Pratapan, members of the ‘Green MLA’ group in the UDF, also echoed the opinion that the matter would be discussed in the Assembly. “There is a possibility of the order being misused in the future,” Satheesan said. Pratapan said that it was unfortunate that such an order was passed. “We are going to take up the issue inside and outside the Assembly. The order only dilutes the cardinal act on land reforms that was passed by the Assembly. The government order only gives an opportunity for fragmentation of more plantations,” he said. Moreover, he also doubted vested interests were behind the issue of the order. Meanwhile, the officials also doubt if the subcommittee that had looked into providing mutation to four acres of Wagamon estate and seven-and-a-half acres of Bonami estate, had taken into consideration all aspects while proposing the mutation.
Moreover, they said that it was not known if the subcommittee had looked into the direction of the Kerala Land Board that no mutation should be provided to fragmented plantations as it was against the very essence of Kerala Land Reforms Act.
