Thiruvananthapuram: The Assembly on Friday witnessed heated arguments between the Opposition and CPM members over the encroachments and eviction drive in Munnar.
While Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Revenue Minister E. Chandrasekharan said the encroachments would be removed, the Opposition termed the eviction drive as an eyewash. Both of them rejected the Opposition charge that the government had lost collective responsibility and that the “chief minister and the revenue department had divergent views on the eviction process.”
Mr Vijayan said that title deeds would be distributed to those who had settled before January 1, 1971. His government was functioning with unity. A title deed distribution mela would be held on May 21 in Idukki, he said.
The revenue minister denied the Opposition charge that the LDF government was going back on its decision to declare around 32 sq km area as Neelakurinji sanctuary. The final notification in this regard would be issued by the government soon, Mr Chandrasekharan said.
The meeting convened by the chief minister on March 27 had decided on cutting off the branches of tall trees found in the cardamom plantations and permitting cutting of trees in the special protected area of Neelakurinji sanctuary.
Mr Chandrasekharan said that the eviction drive was continuing in Munnar. The drive did not slow down after the all-party meeting. The joint responsibility of the government in this matter still exists, he said.
Mr P.T. Thomas (Cong), who gave the notice for an adjournment motion, criticised the government quoting the minutes of the meeting that there were moves to give validity to the encroachments, including that of Idukki MP Joice George. The chief minister countered it by saying that Mr
George was being targeted for winning the elections to the Lok Sabha. As Speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan rejected the notice for the motion, the Opposition walked out of the Assembly.
Earlier during question hour, Mr Pinarayi Vijayan said the situation in Munnar during the eviction drive didn’t warrant issuing of prohibitory orders. “The collector has the authority to declare prohibitory orders. But, he had breached the protocol and conventional procedures for evicting encroachments,” he said.
