A hearing on land verification regarding the Chokramudi Hills has unearthed massive irregularities in issuing title deeds.
According to Revenue department officials, in the first week of October, Devikulam Sub-Collector V.M. Jayakrishnan had issued notices to 49 persons who own land in the area to appear for a hearing on land document verification. The notice had stated that the title deed holder or person concerned should appear for the hearing with proper documents. The Revenue officials said that 41 persons appeared for the hearing.
Mr. Jayakrishnan said that after the document verification, violations of each title were given in written letters to the title deed holders. “They can produce more details or clarifications at the next hearing scheduled on October 21. After the hearing, we will proceed with further steps,“ said Mr. Jayakrishnan.
According to sources, 49 resale title deeds were issued in the area from five titles. “The land sale and possession occurred on the hills after the taluk surveyor fixed boundaries in the area in 2023. The persons who produced titles are original, but the land and thandaper numbers are different. It was suspected that a land mafia had worked under Udumbanchola taluk office in issuing the title deeds,” said the source.
Cancelled
According to Revenue department sources, the officials cancelled the title deeds on Chokramudi Hills after completing the hearing process. “As per rule, the title deeds are to be cancelled after the hearing,” said the source.
A special investigation team (SIT) deputed by Idukki District Collector V. Vigneswari to probe the alleged large-scale construction activities on Chokramudi Hills found serious lapses on the part of Revenue officials in the encroachment of government land on the ecologically fragile hills. The report cites the violation of each title on Chokramudi Hills and recommends immediate steps to protect the hills.
A recent report by the SIT headed by K. Sethuraman, Inspector General of Police, North Zone, reported the connivance of Revenue officials in the encroachment on government land at Chokramudi and recommended action against the officials.
Published - October 15, 2024 08:04 pm IST
