The Hindu : Front Page : Government for dissolution of Palakkad council: Chandy

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Monday, Dec 05, 2005

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Government for dissolution of Palakkad council: Chandy

Staff Reporter

Legal status of Cardamom Hill Reserve to be examined

PALAKKAD: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has said the Government will recommend dissolution of the Palakkad municipal council, as repeated efforts to break the deadlock in the council over the election of the civic chief have failed.

Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, the Chief Minister said the Congress or the United Democratic Front (UDF) would not have any truck with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the running of the municipality. The Government will inform the High Court about its failure to break the deadlock and recommend fresh election, Mr. Chandy said.

``The only way out before the Government is to recommend dissolution of the council in the prevailing circumstances.''

Though the Government had tried its level best to avoid the crisis in the municipality, an administrative set-up could not be put in place due to political reasons, he said.

The BJP had emerged the single largest bloc in the municipality falling short of majority on its own. The Left Democratic Front and the UDF had refused to give support to the saffron party or help each other in the hung council.

To a question on the statement by Revenue Minister K.M. Mani that 334 sq miles of the Cardamom Hill Reserve in Idukki district was revenue land, the Chief Minister said the Government would examine the legal status of the land and its other technicalities.

He said there were no differences between Forest Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan and the Revenue Minister on the status of the CHR. "But the Government will take a realistic stand on the issue, as some of the areas described as forest have become towns. At the same time, the Government will take a decision keeping in mind the State's need to protect its forest and environment. The Government considered all post-1977 cultivated land as encroachment. All political parties had agreed to give title deeds to all pre-1977 encroachments," he said

Replying to another question on the alleged Government move to renew the expired lease on land in places such as Nelliampathy Hills in Palakkad, the Chief Minister said there were demands from most political parties and trade unions, including the CPI(M) and CITU, that plantations taken over by the Government after the expiry of lease should be given back to their holders.

The workers had lost their jobs in some of the estates taken over by the Government in Nelliampathy, the Chief Minister said.

He said the controversy on police administration was a creation of the media in the State.

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