KOCHI: The special investigation team (SIT) probing the encroachment of govt land at Parunthumpara in Idukki has asked the state govt to immediately halt the resurvey/digital survey of puramboke land in Peerumade and Manchumala villages.
Exposing large-scale land grabbing, the SIT’s report revealed that, while a digital survey is underway in Parunthumpara area, encroachers are attempting to manipulate the survey to legitimize their illegal occupation and obtain survey documents. The SIT led by inspector general of police K Sethuraman, constituted as per a high court directive, has submitted a 741-page report to the govt. It states that large-scale puramboke land encroachments were identified at Parunthumpara in Survey No 543, extending to 624.84 acres of Peerumade village and in Survey No 441, extending to 9,875.96 acres of Manchumala village.
Most of this land was owned by non-locals who were unknown to local residents. In some instances, the buyers appointed certain local individuals as caretakers of their land. The report also says that there is a group of people who actively monitor officials who visit Parunthumpara for inspections.
Registers missing from Peerumade taluk office
The report revealed that certain registers related to title deed (patta) issuance were missing from the Peerumade taluk office, suggesting deliberate destruction of records. Moreover, officials in the Peerumade and Manchumala village offices had no knowledge of govt land in their jurisdiction. The encroachers were allegedly assisted by certain revenue and survey officials. To safeguard govt land, the report recommended transferring long-serving revenue and survey officials from Peerumade taluk.
Corrections in survey numbers
The SIT found that survey numbers in 676 title deeds in Peerumade taluk had been corrected, based on a 2017 state govt circular. This circular was meant to rectify discrepancies in survey numbers recorded in title deeds and the actual survey numbers. The SIT recommended the immediate halting of the practice of altering survey numbers.
The report also recommended urgent action to digitize the title deeds and related registers and development of an app that would enable revenue officials to access land details on their mobile devices. It also suggested mandating an NOC for constructions in Peerumade taluk, similar to the one in Munnar.
Upon reviewing the SIT report, the HC directed the registry to place the matter before the Chief Justice for consideration of its referral to the special bench handling land-related matters in Munnar region.
