Munnar: The revenue department will go ahead with enforcing the stop memos issued to the owners of illegal structures in the eight villages in the Munnar area even as Devikulam MLA and CPM leader S. Rajendran came out criticising the Revenue Minister E. Chandasekharan for not taking an early decision on what he called the over-enthusiasm of the officers which is affecting the lives of a lot of people in his constituency.
The revenue department will go ahead with enforcing the stop memos issued to the owners of illegal structures in the eight villages in the Munnar area even as Devikulam MLA and CPM leader S. Rajendran came out criticising the Revenue Minister E. Chandasekharan for not taking an early decision on what he called the over-enthusiasm of the officers which is affecting the lives of a lot of people in his constituency.
“The minister said he will study the matter when I took it up with him,” Mr Rajendran told Deccan Chronicle on Wednesday. “Why is it that he does not act swiftly on a matter which puts the life of a lot people in peril?” he asked. “The officials have woken up on a fine morning and gave stop memos to buildings which were almost complete and waiting for inauguration. Where were these officials when the so-called illegal constructions were going on?” The government may go ahead with enforcing the rules for the building which will come up in the future but the current move is aimed only at defaming the new government, he said. “This cannot be allowed,” he said.
However, the revenue department is in no mood to relent, and is planning to go ahead with the process. “We will enforce the stop memos,” Devikulam revenue divisional officer (RDO) Sabin Sameed told DC. “It’s for the government to decide on the fate of the structures,” he said.
“We have invoked the rules as their violation is wrecking Munnar, a fragile ecosystem,” he said. “And we have received all the support from the government.”
Mr Sameed said the department is seeking government help to strengthen the Public Land Protection Force which was formed to ensure that there is no encroachment on the land. At present it has a depleted staff strength and has not enough vehicles, he said.
