Govt needs to show political will: HC raps LDF over Munnar situation

The Kerala High Court has expressed its displeasure over the state government's failure in taking stringent action on removing encroachments from the government land in Munnar, Idukki. 

Slamming the LDF, the HC stated that a government, which came to power on the promise ‘everything will be set right’, should show the political will to proceed with the eviction drive and the vigour to implement it.

"What is required is the political will to proceed and official vigour to implement. If either is dampened then it is the public interest that is compromised. Is it too much for the citizenry to expect the government, which comes to power on pledge that everything will be set right, to act positively and effectively?" PTI quoted Justice K Vinod Chandran as saying. 

Devikulam sub-collector Sriram transferred a day after winning court case

The judge made the remark while dismissing a plea of a resort owner, VV George, challenging the Devikulam Sub-Collector Sriram Venkitaraman's order to vacate the land, which had been given for temporary occupation decades ago.

"There is no dearth of legal precedents of the Supreme Court and the jurisdictional High Courts to prompt the government action to take back what is due to the people and to put it to the public benefit," the judge said in his order.

High Court upholds eviction notice of Devikulam sub Collector

Justice Chandran observed that the legislature too has brought in enactments to proceed for such recovery. The judge, in his order dated July 4, said it was quite disconcerting that despite various directions of the court time and again, the situation has not changed a bit. 

The revenue authorities, a law unto themselves, have been violating the provisions and colluding with the assignees causing gross damage to ecology and environment, the court said.

• Munnar
• eviction drive
• Kerala High Court
• Kerala government