Wayanad Rehabilitation: Estate owners' objections stall land acquisition for model township
The Kerala government’s plan to rehabilitate Wayanad landslide victims through a model township project faces uncertainty due to legal disputes. Estate owners have challenged the government’s ownership claims in the High Court.
FollowWayanad: Land acquisition for the construction of a model township to rehabilitate disaster-affected people in Wayanad faces uncertainty. Two estate owners have filed a petition claiming ownership of the land identified by the government for the project. The Kerala High Court is set to deliver its verdict on the matter this Tuesday. The ownership dispute, now entangled in legal proceedings, poses a significant challenge for the government in securing the land and moving forward with the township project.
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The government proposed a model township to rehabilitate landslide victims in Wayanad and identified suitable land for the project. The selected sites are in Vythiri and Kalpetta villages. Specifically, 65.41 hectares in the Nedumbala Estate under Kottapadi village in Vythiri taluk and 78.73 hectares from the Elstone Estate in Kalpetta village were earmarked for acquisition.
The Revenue Department had previously issued orders to file civil suits as part of the acquisition process. Following this, another directive was issued stating that the land would be acquired under the Disaster Management Act.
However, the issue became complex when the estate owners moved the High Court, arguing that the government had neither ownership nor the authority to acquire the land. They claimed that if the government proceeds with land acquisition by depositing the disputed amount in court, the ownership rights of the township beneficiaries could face legal challenges. The estate owners further contended that acquisition under the Disaster Management Act allows only temporary possession, not permanent acquisition.
If the court ruling does not favor the government, alternative lands will need to be considered for the township, leading to further delays in the process. Amid this uncertainty, some disaster-affected individuals have suggested that financial assistance for rehabilitation, instead of a township, would suffice. This sentiment adds another layer of challenge for the government as it navigates the issue.
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