KOCHI: The Justice C N Ramachandran Nair Commission appointed by the Kerala government to investigate the Munambam land dispute submitted its report to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday. According to Justice Ramachandran, the report constitutes 75 pages and has been ready for submission since Monday.
“We had to find a suitable time from the CM to submit the report. On Wednesday, soon after the cabinet meeting, I met the chief minister and submitted the report,” Justice Ramachandran said.
The judicial commission was appointed in November 2024 to examine the dispute over 404 acres of land in Munambam after a claim emerged that it was ‘waqf’ land. The commission was tasked with finding a “permanent solution” for the residents of the Munambam area. “Now the ball is in the state government’s court,” Justice Ramachandran told TNIE.
As to the recommendations made in the report, he said, “All the recommendations made are aimed at protecting the rights of Munambam residents.”
He said the very fact that a commission was appointed highlights the state government’s desire to help Munambam residents. “The state government can study the report and then decide whether to accept or reject it,” he said.
Earlier, Justice Ramachandran had told this newspaper that if all parties involved -- the government, Waqf Board, and the Farook College -- can discuss and resolve the matter, they should. Else, the government, using its powers, should acquire the land, he had said.
Asked if the government needs to bring in legislation or extra powers to acquire the land, he said: “It doesn’t have to bring in legislation or anything. The state government has statutory powers vested with it to deal with situations like this.”
Residents’ fingers crossed
With the judicial commission submitting its report to the state government, the agitating residents of Munambam-Kadappuram have turned their hopeful eyes towards Thiruvananthapuram.
“We believe the state government will heed the recommendations made in the report and come up with measures to give our revenue rights back,” said Joseph Benny, convener of the Munambam Bhoo Samrakshana Samithi.
He felt the ongoing case in the Kerala High Court would not be a hurdle as the court has said that the state government can initiate measures based on the commission report after filing an affidavit before the court citing the complexities the issue has generated. The 610 families will continue with their indefinite agitation, said Joseph, adding that “We are continuing the agitation to remind the state government that the situation is not solved yet.”