Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Affidavit on CHR lands filed

K.P. Rajendran says Revenue and Forest Departments have resolved their differences.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Revenue Minister K.P. Rajendran informed the Assembly on Monday that the Revenue and Forest Departments had resolved their differences over the status of Cardamom Hill Reserve (CHR) lands and filed a joint affidavit on the subject before the Supreme Court.

Responding to a calling attention motion from P. Krishnaprasad (CPI-M), the Revenue Minister said the government had also initiated steps to issue title deeds to persons living in lands that had been acquired for hydel projects, but were not used for the purpose.

A meeting of the officials concerned would be held at Pathanamthitta on April 9 and at Wayanad on a later date to discuss the issue, he said.

Mr. Rajendran said the Revenue, Forest and Water Resources Departments had jointly prepared an action plan to issue possession certificates and title deeds to eligible farmers in the high ranges.

Out of the 46,933 hectares over which claims for such documents had been made, the departments had conducted joint verification in respect of 31,899 hectares.

Of this, 11,384 hectares covered land holdings on which farmers had settled prior to January 1, 1977.

Possession documents would be given to eligible persons once Central approval for the same was received, he said.

Earlier, Mr. Krishnaprasad said farmers in the hill tracts across Kerala were finding it difficult to carry on with farming activities owing to the inordinate delay in giving them possession certificates or title deeds.

In some of the land holdings in question, the authorities had stopped collecting land taxes. In the case of CHR lands, the authorities were refusing to grant title deeds despite the areas in question became modern urban centres, he said.

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

Stories in this Section

Talks to be held on Sabari rail alignment
CAG reports loss in tax collection
Walkout over paddy crop loss in Kuttanad
Affidavit on CHR lands filed
Malayalam Mission planned
Ex-servicemen’s fast
Award for Onakkoor
Takes charge as ombudsman
Minister’s directive
Tax on ATF cut on Centre’s advice: Isaac
Steps to clear files
Kerala action plan to prevent recurrence of chikungunya
Notice to KWA, Irrigation Department
Ecological concerns will be addressed, says VS
Corporation seeks more time for projects
Focus on wooing local tourists
Water supply hit
Geo-information centre launched
In Thiruvananthapuram Today

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu