IDUKKI: Efforts to curb encroachments and illegal construction seem to have little impact in Munnar. Encroachers continue to take possession of acres of government land using forged documents. Officials suspect the involvement of a gang of five in the taking over of government land through forged documents, prepared using fake seals of various departments and sample signatures of officials.
A few days ago, officials led by the Munnar special tahsildar K Sreekumar dismantled sheds being constructed by encroachers on government land here. However, the officers were forbidden from dismantling the sheds constructed on the land near the botanical garden on the Kochi-Dhanushkodi National Highway in Munnar, because of the stay order issued by the court.Sreekumar said the temporary sheds were constructed by a five-member gang.
“The documents they produced at the department were found to be forged. The day on which they claimed to have received the documents, the village officer who was in charge of issuing the documents was on leave. Three of the encroachers had secured documents on the same day,” he said.He also pointed out the village officer’s seal was also not affixed in the property sketch and other related documents they produced. “Though they had a seal on the possession certificate, it was fake,” he said.The encroachers had taken possession of 15 acres worth `10 crore, near the botanical garden and KDH village office by securing a favourable court order via producing forged documents.
Sreekumar said the encroachers cleared the land to construct the sheds on securing the court order.
“Officers come to know about it only when such sheds turn into multi-storey buildings. If we try to evict the encroachers or dismantle the illegal constructions, some political leader will soon reach the spot and prevent us from carrying out our duty,” he said.The official claimed there is even a group working within the court premises to plead the cases of such encroachers.
He said two official registers kept in the Devikulam village office were found missing in the recent past. With these registers missing, the investigations on some cases are still halfway.He added he would lodge a complaint against the land mafia encroaching land in Munnar with the government as well as the court.
At least 600 acres of government land had been encroached upon after the then Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan withdrew his Munnar Mission team, with most of the encroachers possessing land with fabricated documents, including the Raveendran pattayams (title deeds). However, officials of the departments concerned turn a blind eye to the issue.