Kottayam: The encroachers in Munnar include two CPM committee offices, four Jacobite and Catholic churches and one branch of the SNDP union. This is as per the consolidated list prepared by the revenue officials.
Most of these lands come under the category of illegal construction in non-patta land, illegal building in government land or illegal occupation. The lands are spread over Kanan Devan Hills, Pallivasal, Chinnakanal panchayat, Santhanpara, and Mannamkanda. According to the list submitted by the revenue officials to the Idukki district collector which has been accessed by Deccan Chronicle, the CPM has constructed two offices at Mannamkandan encroaching on 66m2 of land and 0.0139H. The place numbered 109 and 116 in the list mentions the construction of the party offices at these places.
The number 36 in the list refers to the illegal occupation of four cents of land by St George Jacobite Suriyani Church, Thokkupara, at Kunchithanny, and another illegal occupation of five cents in the name of St George Catholic Church at Kunchithanny, 20 cents in the name of the vicar of St Joseph Church, Suriyanelli, and 2.88 acres of land occupied at Pallivasal by the St Sebastian’s Church, Thokkupara. Ten cents of land was occupied by the president of the Perumbnkuthu SNDP Union at Mankulam near Munnar.
The list shows that among the 154 encroachments identified by the revenue officials, 94 possess lands ranging from two cents to 30 cents. It is alleged that the big encroachers were not included in the list.
Those behind the controversial prayer group ‘Spirit in Jesus,’ including Boby Sacaria and Jimmy Sacaria, own 12 acres and six acres respectively in Chinnakanal panchayat.
The name of high-profile encroachers, including M.M. Lamboadaran and Toms Sacaraia, are absent in the list.
Lijeesh Lambodaran, son of M.M. Lambodaran, illegally occupies seven-and-a-half acres of land at Chinnakanal. Tissin J. Thachankary, a close relative of ADGP Tomin J. Thachankary, has seven acres and seven cents of land at Chinnakanal.
The name of V.S. Albin, a local CPM leader, is in the list of those occupying 10 cents of land in Chinnakanal panchayat.
