IDUKKI: While the rift widens between CPM and CPI over Munnar eviction, the Revenue Department is planning to resume the evictions of encroachments in Devikulam and Udumbanchola taluks on Monday.
This time around, officers conducting the evictions will be more cautious following the stringent protests from local residents and non-cooperation of the police the officers encountered during the eviction drive at Devikulam on April 12.
Several encroachments are marked for eviction in Chinnakkanal, KDH, and Pallivasal villages. However, the proceedings will be initiated only after ensuring protection to the Revenue officers.
“We will have to ensure safety of Revenue employees and the Public Land Protection Force (PLPF) personnel before moving ahead with the eviction,” said a Revenue Department officer.
On April 12, CPM-led protesters had manhandled PLPF personnel and misbehaved with Revenue officials when the latter tried to evict the encroachment on a government land near the Devikulam taluk office. The officers are expecting similar protests in the coming days.
Church encroachment
One of the encroachments identified for eviction is at Pappathishola in Chinnakkanal village, where a local church has set up a huge shed on the top of the hill as ‘prayer hall’ and erected concrete crosses in the path towards the shed. When the Revenue Department asked the church authorities to remove the shed, the latter resisted and turned them down.
Security beefed up
Security has been beefed up for Revenue officers, including Devikulam Sub-Collector Sriram Venkitaraman, owing to the April 12 incident.
The Home Department has assigned a seven-member police team led by an SI for the security of the team as per the demand of Revenue Minister E Chandrasekharan. The team has been deployed in Idukki.
Report submitted
Sub-Collector Sriram Venkitaraman has submitted a report on the ‘inaction’ and ‘non-cooperation’ of police officers during the April 12 eviction drive, to District Collector G R Gokul. Sources said Sriram has recommended stringent action against two police officers - the Devikulam SI Johnson and additional SI Punya Das - for disobeying his order and refusing protection to Revenue officers while discharging their duties. Gokul is likely to take disciplinary action against the policemen on the basis of the report.