KALPETTA: Controversies surrounding the rehabilitation projects announced by various political parties and their youth organisations for the victims of the landslides in Wayanad refuse to die down.
There are allegations that the land purchased by the IUML in the Thrikkaipatta area of Meppadi panchayat, to build 105 houses spanning 1,000 sqft, includes plantation land. The plantation land, where construction is prohibited, was purchased at a high price.
The IUML collected more than Rs 40 crore for the project and land was purchased in the name of IUML state president Panakkad Syed Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal at a cost of Rs 12 crore. The CPM local leaders alleged irregularities in the land registration pointing out the high price for the land purchase and initiating construction works in plantation land violating the rules.
Land was purchased at a price of up to Rs 1.25 lakh in an area where plantation land is available for Rs 30,000 per cent. “The IUML, which criticises the government’s housing scheme, should clarify how much money they collected for rehabilitation and when they would provide houses to the affected people,” said CPM Kalpetta area secretary Harris.
Following a report by the Thrikkaipatta village officer that a portion of the land bought by the IUML for the construction of 105 houses is plantation land, the Vythiri Taluk Land Board has issued notices to the former landowners. They have to appear with documents and provide explanations at the hearing by the Land Board on July 16.
“The land was purchased at a cost of over Rs 12 crore and we had to purchase it as soon as possible because we would otherwise have had to wait for 5-6 months for the state government to provide the land for the house construction as they did in the case of Puthumala landslide rehabilitation.
The market value was higher there because it’s a roadside plot. And also, we spent Rs 85 lakh for registration alone. Our land acquisition process is fully transparent. The victims who are going to receive the houses from the IUML include 87 people on the state government’s township beneficiary list,” said K K Ahammed Haji, IUML Wayanad district president.
Voluntary organisations have already built houses for around 20 affected families. Though the IUML’s project progressed ahead of the state government’s and the Congress party’s, the works are being delayed now.
There are allegations that land bought by IUML includes plantation land on which construction is banned
Land was purchased at a price of up to Rs 1.25 lakh in an area where plantation land is available for Rs 30,000 per cent