A recent Revenue department order that converted 4,318 hectares of revenue land to forestland in the 50th block of Keezhanthoor village under Kanthalloor panchayat in Idukki has sparked a controversy. Local people allege that Revenue department officials are trying to evict people from Kanthalloor through this conversion. The order was issued on the basis of a letter by the wildlife warden, Munnar.
Idukki survey deputy director R. Babu issued the order on July 20, 2023. According to the order (a copy of which is with The Hindu), the titles were issued under block number 50 of Keezhanthoor village for 18.5777 hectares of land in 17 Thandaper numbers. “Excluding 18.5777 hectares of land under block number 50, a total of 4,318.1223 hectares’ land status is being changed into reserve forest in re-survey records,” said the order.
Munnar wildlife warden S.V. Vinod told The Hindu that 90.422 square kilometres of land from Keezhattoor and Marayur villages under the Devikulam taluk was declared as the Chinnar reserve forest in 1942. “In 1984, it was declared as Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary. In 1999, Devikulam Land Records (LR) survey superintendent declared 3,844 hectares of forestland as revenue land without consultation with the Forest department. The Forest department then submitted a letter to the District Collector demanding a change in the land status,” said the official.
