Govt taking steps to expedite settlement of cases

Revenue Minister E. Chandrasekharan told the Assembly on Monday that the government was taking all steps to expedite the settlement of thousands of cases languishing in various land tribunals in the State by setting up additional tribunals to handle cases.

Replying to questions by K.U. Arunan, Murali Perunelly and others, he said that in the 21 months since the Left Democratic Front Government had taken over, 72,000 cases in various land tribunals had been settled.

Apart from the 17 land tribunals and 14 Dewaswom tribunals, the government had now set up 29 additional special tribunals to handle the huge volume of cases in the northern districts of Thrissur, Palakkad, Kannur, Kozhikode, Malappuram and Kasaragod. In all the southern districts, the number of cases before land tribunals were less than 500, Mr. Chandrasekharan said.

The government had also ensured that only officials who had at least three years remaining service were appointed in these tribunals and that they were not transferred out for the next two years, so that cases could be settled.

Title deeds

On the issue of title deeds to farmers in Wayanad, Mr. Chandrasekharan said that combined land survey had been completed in 800.56 hectares of land in Wayanad and steps were being taken to distribute the title deeds of 263.78 hectares to farmers.

The government had received 1,110 applications from farmers in Wayanad for the title deeds. Similar measures were being taken in other districts where the land survey had been completed.

Mr. Chandrasekharan said that the Revenue and Forest Ministers held a meeting in February and it had been decided to amend the Kerala Preservation of Trees Act 1986 to allow the felling of trees in patta land in Idukki.

The felling of eucalyptus trees in Anchunad area in Idukki had been banned through a Government Order, which was also being reconsidered.