Kerala State Electricity Board set to forfeit 79 hectares in Idukki due to inaction

KOCHI: The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) is literally sleeping over encroachments on nearly 79 hectares of its land at Pallivasal village in Idukki district. A report submitted by Devikulam sub-collector Sreeram Venkatraman to the district collector, has recommended for a detailed probe including a survey covering the title deeds, encroachment and construction in 27.12 and 247.88 acres of land belonging to survey numbers 31 and 27 respectively. The report has also called for a detailed probe by the forest department of these lands which should be submitted to the revenue department.

The report cited instances of encroachment of land assigned to KSEB for the implementation of various project in KDH and Pallivasal villages. It also pointed out that no action was taken by the KSEB for evicting the encroachers or to have a proper measurement of the land in its possession and steps to protect the same. Apart from the lack of interest in protecting its land assets, the KSEB has been involved in assigning land to private individuals. A preliminary inquiry has shown that KSEB has given 30 such title deeds to private individuals totaling around 11 hectare (27.17 acres) of land to private individuals.

“Only a detailed probe can bring out the exact details,” the report said. It has found that the land assigned by the KSEB has undergone several transactions and most of them are now owned by construction firms and resort builders. It expressed apprehensions about the possibility of deliberate destruction of records by KSEB officials and found that steps were not followed when the land was registered to owners through survey adalats.

Although KSEB was the owner of the land as per the earlier records, the land was registered to new owners in survey adalats without informing the KSEB officials. Notices were also not issued to KSEB officials as per the law before transactions, it was pointed out. The assignment of land to individuals was found in violation of relevant provisions of Kerala Land Assignment Act of 1964. Under the Act, land can be assigned to persons having possession of the same land before August 1, 1971 after taking into account their total land assets and income.