KOCHI: The state government has set up a Special Land Acquisition unit in Thiruvananthapuram to acquire estate lands situated inside the forest regions in the state. The move aims at ending private properties inside forests.A government order (GO), dated August 28, has been issued for the creation of the special unit for a period of one year. As per the order, an 11-member team led by a special tahsildar will coordinate with the district collectors concerned for acquiring the estates situated inside the forest areas. Revenue Principal Secretary A Jayathilak told TNIE that the government has taken the decision to end private ownership of properties inside the forest by acquiring them.
“Private ownership of land cannot be allowed inside the forest. This results in increased human settlements putting pressure on the natural habitat. The special unit has been formed to finalise the procedures for acquiring such private estates,” he said. Forest officials said the department, in coordination with the revenue department, has identified 13 estates for acquisition in the first phase.
“Certain modalities need to be finalised. A detailed proposal for acquiring the estate lands inside the forest has been prepared under the Rebuild Kerala initiative,” said an officer of C section in Forest and Wildlife Department. Among the 13 is Bonacaud estate in Thiruvananthapuram, one of the oldest estates in the state.As per a proposal, the forest department will provide financial assistance to relocate people living inside the estate. They will be given money to purchase land and construct houses in other places. “Once estates are acquired, natural vegetation will be restored,” a top officer said.
“We hope to minimise man-animal conflicts in these identified zones once settlers are relocated,” the officer said.As per forest department data, the human-animal conflicts have become a major issue in the past few years with 514 deaths reported between 2006 and 2015.
13 estates have been identified by the forest department for acquisition in the first phase