The Hindu : Front Page : Land allocation in a month: VS

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Friday, Oct 10, 2008
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Land allocation in a month: VS

Staff Reporter

‘No takeover of land from those who own below one acre in Munnar’

The Chief Minister promises steps to prevent sale of land.

MUNNAR: Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan said here on Thursday that the land assignment committee would take necessary steps within a month to allocate the resumed land in Munnar to the landless people.

Talking to mediapersons after a Cabinet sub-committee meeting here, the Chief Minister said land would not be taken from residents who owned below one acre. “The government policy is to allocate title deeds for the land owned by the poor in Munnar.”

Mr. Achuthanandan said steps would be taken to prevent the sale of land allotted to the landless people. No building construction would be allowed in violation of the specifications for construction.

He said the government had identified 1,602 acres of land for distribution to landless labourers and Adivasis and 304 acres would be given to the Tourism Department to make Munnar an international tourism destination offering quality services at low rates. “Now tourists have to pay a huge amount for accommodation. This will be changed and facilities will be made available to tourists without exploiting them,” he said.

The Chief Minister said Kudumbasree members would be assigned the task of supplying items such as vegetables to hotels in Munnar. “This will help thousands of poor women in the area.”

He said eco-tourism would be developed in Munnar. Violation of land and building norms would not be allowed. A master plan would be prepared. Munnar, Marayur, Kanthalloor and Vattavada grama panchayats would be included in the tourism map of Munnar, he said.

The Chief Minister said the lease agreement on the land given to cardamom farmers would be renewed. The Chief Minister said title deeds would be given to 150 families living on the KSEB-owned land at Moolamattom and Munnar.

He said the High Court would be approached to form a special court to try cases relating to land in Munnar. Measures would also be taken to resume the government land encroached upon by private individuals in the State.

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