Kochi: The high court has directed the state govt to expedite the constitution of a special task force (STF) to oversee the investigation and digital survey of disputed land holdings in Idukki , including Munnar, expressing dissatisfaction over the delay.
The court adjourned the matter to Nov 5 and directed the state govt to submit a brief report on the ongoing activities of the SIT and digital survey team. The court clarified that the SIT and digital survey teams would continue their work but would eventually have to follow protocols framed by the STF. It also directed the digital survey team to include a village officer or an authorised person as part of its team in all future survey activities.
Earlier, the court had directed the state govt to provide, by Oct 29, the names of officers who could be spared exclusively for the STF for a minimum period of six months.
Though the court granted time, it recorded that it was “not happy with any delay”, noting that the work of the special investigation team (SIT) and the digital survey could be effectively coordinated and completed only after the STF was constituted. However, on that date, additional advocate general K C Vincent sought another week to suggest names for the STF. During the hearing, amicus curiae Harish Vasudevan submitted that the digital survey team was currently marking boundaries based on claims made by persons in possession of the land, using satellite coordinates.