KOTTAYAM: Evictions from the encroached areas at Munnar continued for the second day on Tuesday even as a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) team led by senior party leader C.K. Padmanabhan visited the area and called for a comprehensive judicial inquiry into the encroachments.

Speaking to The Hindu, Devikulam Sub-Collector Ratan Kelkar said telephone towers erected by two private service providers at Chokranmudi were dismantled in a joint operation of the Revenue, Forests, Survey and Police Departments. There was no resistance to the action, he said.

The area was under the custody of M.M. Labodaran, brother of CPI (M) leader M.M. Moni, and it was leased out to the mobile companies at a monthly fee. The action commenced at 10 a.m. Though the special team led by the Sub-Collectors from Devikulam and Idukki waited till the afternoon for the representatives of the companies to arrive to remove the sensitive instruments installed on the tower, they had to dismantle it as no one from the company turned up. Mr. Kelkar said the operations would continue on Wednesday. Mr Labodaran, meanwhile, said the land was not an encroached area.

The BJP team after visiting the disputed areas said both the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) were equally involved in the encroachments and illegal constructions going on in the area. Mr. Padmanabhan said the inquiry by the revenue authorities would not suffice, as officials of the department were working in collusion with the encroachers all these years.

BJP's charge

Mr. Padmanabhan said some of the senior officials in the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) had major interests in encroachments and illegal constructions, and a comprehensive judicial inquiry would shed light on the roots of the organised encroachment which might even bring out the connection between the present illegal activities and the controversial SNC Lavalin power project.

Special Correspondent adds from Thiruvananthapuram:

Meanwhile, the report of Principal Secretary (Land Revenue) Nivedita P. Haran on the encroachments was circulated as Cabinet note on Tuesday for decisions by the Cabinet.

The Principal Secretary is understood to have suggested formation of a zonal body to regulate building activities in Devikulam, Peerumadu and Udumbanchola taluks.

Confirming existence of bogus titles on a large scale, she recommended action against about 50 officials including senior revenue officials. In future, officials from outside the district should be posted in revenue offices.

Revenue Minister K.P. Rajendran, who held discussions with Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan on the recommendations of the Principal Secretary, said that action would be taken against revenue officials in Devikulam and Udumbanchola taluks. The Cabinet would decide on further measures.

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