THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A CBI probe into violations of forest laws in Nelliampathy forest area has not been able to unravel any criminal offence on the charge that estate owners had mortgaged land in their possession to secure bank loans.
However, the contents of the report read out in the Assembly by home minister Ramesh Chennithala on Monday were not an absolute exoneration of the 27 private estates in Nelliampathy. “The report has stated that the violations are of a civil nature,” the minister said.
The CBI report has said that there was nothing illegal in the use of land in the possession of estate owners to secure loans.
“The estate owners had only mortgaged their lease deed to get loans,” the CBI report said. The CBI had also ruled out the Forest Department charge that documents were fabricated to secure loans. The case was handed over to the CBI on June 12, 2013.
The Forest Department had documented lease deed violations and encroachments in 32 estates in Nelliampathy hills.
Only five estates belonging to the Miraflores Syndicate, a total of 487 acres, have been taken back. The dispute has been over the remaining 2,794 acres, in possession of 26 private estates.
According to the department, the biggest violators are the two Karappara estates, which together occupy 1,119 acres. Multiple violations have been detected in these two: illegal transfer to 11 private individuals, illegal tourism and the pledging of leased land to secure bank loans. The sale, transfer, tourism activities and mortgaging of land are violations of the Forest Conservation Act.
The other violations identified in Nelliampathy estates include encroachment by lessees in the surrounding forest areas; grabbing of forest land using forged documents; retaining possession of vested forest land even after cases were lost in courts; and possession of vested forest land in locations not indicated in the title deeds.
