An HC bench issued the order while considering a batch of petitions seeking the eviction of encroachers in Munnar
The affidavit must also detail the current status and activities of the monitoring committee constituted pursuant to the court’s order of Jan 9, 2024. Kochi: The high court has directed the state govt to file an affidavit explaining the steps taken and completed in the digital survey of land in various villages involved in cases related to illegal encroachments in Munnar. A bench comprising Justices Devan Ramachandran and Basant Balaji issued the order while considering a batch of petitions seeking the eviction of encroachers in Munnar.
Observing that nearly 20 years of litigation had failed to resolve uncertainty over the nature of the lands and the validity of documents, the bench said the situation could not continue indefinitely. The court adjourned the matter to Oct 15. The court also directed the special investigation team (SIT) to file a separate affidavit outlining the steps taken and measures adopted in each case investigated or under investigation, along with the current status of its operations. The information should cover all necessary details in a consolidated manner without going into excessive detail. The SIT was constituted to investigate the alleged involvement of public officials in forging land titles (pattas) in Munnar, Idukki . The govt was also directed to inform the court whether a list of assignable lands exists under the Kerala Land Assignment Act and Rules and, if so, produce a copy for the court’s examination. It warned that the consequences of abuse and dereliction in protecting nature were too grave to be ignored.