Kerala State Electricity Board set to form recovery tribunal

Thiruvananthapuram: KSEB Limited is considering a Munnar-like special tribunal to recover large chunks of land that have been lost to encroachment. “There have been reports from various section offices that lands under their custody have been taken over illegally by private individuals or bodies,” power minister M M Mani said. “We have already requested the Revenue Department to survey the encroached lands and mark the boundaries. Many disputes have also arisen by now and for the adjudication of this we might require a special tribunal,” the minister said.

Already, there are 115 cases pending in various courts related to KSEBL-related land disputes, 34 of them related to encroachments in Vilangad Project site and 24 related to land set apart for the second stage of Chathankottunada small hydel project, both in Kozhikode. Official figures show that KSEBL has nearly 5450acres in its possession across the state, mostly in Idukki and Wayanad. Further, the public utility is in custody of 2.34 lakh acres it has taken on lease from the Forest Department.

Though the extent of encroachment is still not clear, KSEBL has documented 1266 instances of land grab in Palakkad alone. KSEBL has deposited money with the Revenue Department to demarcate the boundaries of these lands. “Widespread encroachment is reported in Pambla (Idukki) around the Lower Periyar Hydel project but this has not been assessed,” Mr Mani said. Further, it has also been found that over six acres of KSEBL land in Kannan Devan Hills, too, was encroached.

DC had in February reported that KSEBL was doing nothing to fight back encroachments on nearly 79 hectares of its land at Pallivasal village in Idukki district. A report submitted by the Devikulam sub-collector had recommended a detailed probe into the constructions in 27.12 and 247.88 acres of land belonging to two survey numbers in Pallivasal village. A report is yet to be submitted.