ALAPPUZHA: Continuing its crackdown on backwater and Government land encroachments in the district, the district-level Special Task Force on Thursday served notices on 52 such cases, giving them three days to move out of the encroached premises, failing which the demolition squad would move in.

As many as 38 of these notices were issued on both sides of Kuravanthode, a tributary of the Pampa river. From residences to commercial establishments and offices of various political outfits, the encroachers had established their right on the rivulet by filling it up with mud and at some places with concrete.

Close to Punnapra, Kuravanthode is also known for its proximity to Chief Minister V.S.

Achuthanandan's residence. More notices were likely to be served here in the coming days as the Revenue authorities complete their review of official records to identify encroachers.

At Punnapra, nine more notices served on encroachers, most of them resorts which had extended their compound walls onto Government `kayal' lands.

A resort belonging to a legislator was also said to be under investigations by the task force on charges of erecting an illegal boat jetty and also for constructing a small bridge right across a public canal.

However, with records showing that the legislator had "permission" from the Water Resources Department by "paying taxes" for the bridge, Revenue officials were planning to conduct an inspection of the resort to see whether this permission had any validity.

Another resort that faced action for encroaching on Government land was one promoted by a Government agency near Kalavoor. Though the task force was about to swing the demolition hammer on this resort on Thursday, the State Government's decision on Wednesday to give three-day notices to encroachers has forced them to go slow.

At Pollathai near Kalavoor, owners of the Alleppey Fishermen Village Resort began demolishing nine cottages of the resort on their own. This was after being served with notices for illegal possession of around 2.5 acres of Government land. The entire resort was spread on only five acres. The task force's inspection on the Punnamada Resort, which began on Wednesday, was completed on Thursday. According to Ambalapuzha Additional Tahsildar P.H. Abdul Gafoor and Deputy Tahsildar K. Radhakrishnan, the resort was found to be in possession of 0.69 acres of

Government `kayal' land. Three days' time was given to the resort owners to clear the structures.

Meanwhile, voices of dissent were increasing over one shop near the KSRTC Bus Stand that escaped demolition on Monday.

Allegations were rife that this shop was left out, even as buildings adjacent to it including the CITU's unit office were demolished, because the owner was a relative of a legislator.

Officials said a second round of demolitions and evictions would begin in the town shortly.

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