Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

`Mafia operation' thrives in estate sector: Minister

Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Government proposes to institute a thorough inquiry into the "mafia operations" of some of the big estate owners in the State, who, with the assistance of revenue officials, have been systematically selling off the land leased out to them by the Government, Revenue Minister K.P. Rajendran told the Assembly on Wednesday.

Replying to a submission from Kerala Congress (Secular) MLA P.C. George, he said this operation was going on for the last couple of decades and the successive Governments had done little to prevent it. Mr. George's submission was specifically about a move to sell off over 500 hectares of Government-leased land in the possession of Harrison Malayalam Plantation at Kaliyar in Idukki district.

Mr. Rajendran said the company signed a memorandum of understanding with a buyer for the sale of this land on the strength of fake documents and even collected an amount in advance for the property. The District Collector of Idukki had taken steps to prevent the sale.

Spread across six districts in the State, the company is holding large tracts of land belonging to the Revenue Department and the Forest Department on nominal lease rates fixed decades ago. Land that comes neither under the Revenue Department or the Forest Department is also in the company's possession. There are several cases in various courts between the company and the Government. The Government's interests have often not been properly represented in the courts.

The Minister said a flourishing mafia operation existed in the estate sector in the State, with the leased land being sold and resold by the estate owners on the strength of fake documents and the cases being mishandled in the courts (by Government lawyers). He assured the Assembly that the Government would act decisively to prevent the operation.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Steps to collect details of Emergency victims
Furore in Assembly over spread of chikungunya
Marking a decade of selfless service
Corporation intensifies vector control drive
Stage set for quiz
State lottery to be revamped
Neyyar water for Tamil Nadu for better ties, says Achuthanandan
Gang leader questioned
`Mafia operation' thrives in estate sector: Minister
Andhra boy reunited with father
Kannur to host science congress
An opportunity lost
Benedict Mar Gregorios award for Jesudas
Options for additional courses
`PSUs lagging behind in innovation'
Former Ministers express concern
VSSC to organise painting competition
New Defence spokesperson
Green carpet
In Thiruvananthapuram Today

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu