KOTTAYAM: CPI(M) State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan has called for a scientific development of Munnar into a tourism destination with the active involvement of tourism and environmental experts.

The CPI(M) leader was speaking to mediapersons on Sunday at the Munnar Guesthouse after a visit to the areas where illegal constructions were on.

Munnar was a common asset of the nation, Mr. Vijayan said. "It was not right to think anyone could do whatever he liked on his private property in the name of tourism in Munnar. A committee consisting of experts in the field of tourism and environment should oversee the development projects in Munnar," he said.

More than half-a-million tourists visited the spot in 2005 and they were here because of the scenic beauty of the place and all development activities should take this fact into account, he said.

Nothing to hide

The CPI(M) leader said his party had nothing to hide from the people nor would it protect anyone.

Alleging that a number of United Democratic Front leaders were party to the encroachments and illegal constructions in Munnar, Mr. Vijayan challenged them for a joint verification of the disputed places.

He called for initiating action against all encroachments and illegal constructions and pointed out that illegal check-dams constructed by the encroachers had deprived the common man of drinking water.

Mounting a scathing attack on Kerala Congress (M) leader K.M. Mani, the CPI(M) leader said during his tenure as Revenue Minister, Mr. Mani had helped a number of people close to him to encroach land in Munnar.

Reading out a list of UDF leaders who were involved in the encroachment of land in Munnar and adjoining areas directly or indirectly, Mr. Vijayan said the list included UDF convener P.P. Thankachan, E.M. Augasthy, P.T. Thomas and former MLA A. K. Moni among others.

Mr. Vijayan, accompanied by LDF convener Vaikom Viswan and former MLA M.M. Moni among others, began his visit by 9 a.m.

The team visited Parvathy Hills, Lakshmi area, Pothamedu, Lockhart Gap, Chinnakanal, Old Munnar and Munnar Colony before winding up the tour by 3 p.m.

In Parvathy Hills, he visited encroached areas at Adayar Estates.

At Lakshmi he met a few Tamil-speaking people staying on a land encroached allegedly by a Congress leader.

From there he moved on to the SN Lodge area where last week a Congress delegation was challenged by CPI(M) activists.

The workers who were at the site complained to Mr. Vijayan that a group led Mr. Moni had attacked them.

In Pothamdeu, Mr Vijayan visited an area which was allegedly taken over after evicting 17 families who had been living there for decades. He also visited a 63-acre plot allegedly encroached upon by relatives of a Congress leader and also an illegal construction site nearby.

Visits site

Mr Vijayan visited the construction site of a resort deep inside the cardamom hills. He also visited the Tagore Mount School whose management had allegedly tried to turn the school into a tourism facility after closing down the institution and also some of the flats constructed illegally nearby.

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