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Cabinet panel corrects Special Task Force

Special Correspondent

Chief Minister says action against bigwigs to continue

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A Cabinet sub-committee on Tuesday reviewed the functioning of the Special Task Force (STF) for clearing of encroachments in Munnar and corrected the force on its assessment that all title deeds issued at the hill resort by deputy tahsildar M.I. Raveendran in 1999 were illegal.

It noted that the STF had erred in rushing to demolish the front portion of an office-cum-tourist home of the CPI at Munnar. However, action should continue against bigwigs who had encroached on Government land. The review was attended by Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan and Food and Civil Supplies Minister C. Divakaran.

Briefing presspersons on the decisions of the committee, the Chief Minister said he himself had erred in thinking that all titles issued by Mr. Raveendran during the term of the previous LDF Government were illegal.

Special Officer K. Suresh Kumar had erred in making a press statement that all `Raveendran pattas' were illegal on the basis of the proceedings of the Revenue Divisional Officer. There were two types of titles issued by Mr. Raveendran — authorised and unauthorised. It was for the Government and courts to decide which were valid.

Mr. Achuthanandan said the deputy tahsildar had issued the titles deeds as authorised by the District Collector and a committee selected the beneficiaries. The titles were to be issued to the landless and more than 500 title deeds had been issued.

However, Mr. Raveendran issued over 200 of these on his own volition. This was not in accordance with the directives from the Minister. (The title deeds were issued when CPI leader K.E. Ismail was Revenue Minister).

The Chief Minister said the STF was warned about the error. No other action was contemplated, he said.

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