THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:In a bid to check excessive fragmentation and conversion of land holdings in the state, the Kerala State Land Board has issued strict guidelines to all revenue officials to be more alert on fragmentation/conversion of land and to make people aware of the risk of getting duped while buying such land.
Pointing out that various reports on estate/plantation owners fragmenting and selling five to 10 cents of land had come to its notice, the Land Board has asked the district collectors to stop registration if it was found that fragmented or transferred land was used for any other purpose, thus defeating the essence of the Act. The collectors can invoke section 120 A of the Kerala Land Reforms Act, according to the guidelines issued by the Land Board secretary on February 25. In the guidelines issued to district collectorates, taluk land boards, taluk and village offices, the officials were asked to see that the land that had been given exemption was not used for any other purpose and to take necessary action if such things came to their notice. The Land Board maintained that even quarrying activities in exempted land can be considered as conversion. And if the land is not used for the purpose for which exemption has been given, such land can also be resumed, the Land Board guidelines says.
The Land Board has said that people at village level should be made aware of the consequences of buying exempted land. All exempted land once converted for any other purpose would come under the surplus land category, which means that they automatically vest with the government, the Land Board pointed out. Most of the people buy such exempted lands and build homes or convert them to other purposes, which should not be done.
It was also said that the officials should confirm that the land given as compensation to the employees for their benefits due from the estates and plantations is only used for the purpose that it has been provided. Further, the officials have been asked to conduct a field study to trace land that have been converted and the report should be submitted to the Taluk Land Boards. It was also recommended to maintain a registry of land that have got exemption as per the KLR Act at the village, taluk and district-levels.
The Land Board has also directed to update the registry on a regular basis and also to include surplus land that is vested with the government. The officials were also asked to keep a separate registry for land that have been earmarked for public purposes. The Land Board has cautioned against issuing revenue certificates for construction, power connection or any other purpose if the land is exempted as per the KLR Act.