The state government is preparing to amend the law to solve various problems related to land use in Idukki district. As part of this, the Land Registry Act of 1960 will be amended. A high-level meeting presided over by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan decided to introduce the amendment bill in this regard in the assembly session starting on 23rd of this month.
The amendment would add a new section to the Land Use Act, 1960, empowering the government to make rules to regulate diversionary use. Continuation of this, the relevant land rules will also be amended.
In the meeting, the Chief Minister suggested that amendments to the law and regulation should be made to regulate small constructions (up to 1500 square feet) for subsistence purposes and diverted use of land allotted for agricultural purposes. The meeting also decided to include provisions regarding charging of application fee and special fee for regularization in the rules.
The meeting has also taken a decision to bring an amendment to the law so that the land previously allotted for agricultural purposes, but now not engaged in agriculture, can be converted and used for other purposes (conversion of agricultural land to non-agricultural land).
Higher fees will be considered if structures with area above 1500 square feet are required to be regularized. Special consideration will be given to public buildings while making regularization. Public buildings as defined under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, including educational institutions, workplaces, commercial centres, religious, cultural or recreational institutions, public utility structures, government institutions, clinics/health centres, judicial forums, bus stands, roads and private institutions widely relied upon by the public shall be excluded. .
The Chief Minister directed the Secretaries of the Revenue and Law Departments to prepare the new rules to be generally applicable to the state.
A special list of lands sanctioned by the Central Government for allotment of land in the Cardamom Hill Reserve shall be made available immediately and the title will be granted to holdings meeting the conditions under Rule 2(f) in the Land Register. 20384.59 hectares of land is thus sanctioned. The Revenue and Forest Departments, the District Collector and KSEB will jointly decide to take an urgent decision on the rest of these to grant the title. The meeting assessed that around 10,000 hectares of land can be given title in this way.
The Chief Minister said that there are two types of problems related to Bhupathi in Idukki based on general characteristics. The first category can only be remedied by amendments to the Land Titles Act, 1960 and the Land Titles Rules. The latter are issues that can be validated after amendments to laws and regulations, if necessary, without waiting for amendments to be made to the laws and regulations. The Chief Minister explained the nine issues raised in the second category.
1 Applications submitted by 10,390 out of nearly twenty thousand beneficiaries in Arakkulam, Udumbannur, Velliyamatam, Kanjikuzhi and Idukki villages in Idukki and Tozhupuzha taluks.
2 Provision of pattas to 60 holders belonging to Kattapana Municipality in Ten chain area of Tantanayar Dam in Udumbanchola taluk, Government order granting pattas outside three chain area in Idukki project area also applicable to the area included in Kattapana Municipality in ten chain area of Tantanayar Dam.
3 About 5470 applications from the occupants of three chain area of Idukki Dam and ten chain area of Kallarkutty and Chenkulam Dams in Ayyappankovil, Kanchiyar, Rajakkad, Konnthadi and Kunchithanni villages of Udumbanchola and Idukki taluks,
4 Applications of about 150 beneficiaries in the area outside the ten chain area of Ponmudi Dam in Rajakkad, Konnthadi and villages of Udumbanchola and Idukki taluks.
5 Around 5800 applications from Vandanmedu, Kalkunthal, Parathode, Anavilasam, Konnthadi, Upputhode, Vathipodi, Ayyappankovil, Kattappana, Kanchiyar, Rajakkad, Poopara and Shantanpara villages in Udumbanchola and Idukki taluks.
6 Around 1500 applications seeking to grant licenses to various shops in Udumbanchola and Idukki taluks.
7 Grant of No Objection Letter (NOC) for construction activities in Anaviratti, Pallivasal, KDH, Vellathuval, Chinnakanal, Bisonvalley, Santhanpara, Anavilasam, Munnar and Itamalakudi villages in Udumbanchola and Devikulam taluks.
8 Applications of about 700 beneficiaries of Mannankandam village in Devikulam taluk
The meeting decided to take immediate decision on these issues. For this, Revenue and Forest Departments and KSEBIA
and District Collector will jointly intervene. Instructions were given to the concerned officials in this regard. The government will take a decision within a week and issue an order to exempt Anavilasam village from the requirement of NOC.
The Revenue and Forest Ministers will hold a meeting to examine the situation where owners cannot cut trees from Pattaya land. The forest department had received complaints from many farmers in this regard. The Chief Minister stated that the government is trying to find a permanent solution to all such problems that have arisen in the district.
In a meeting held at the Chief Minister’s conference hall, Revenue Minister K. Rajan, Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran, Chief Secretary Dr. V.P. Joy, Advocate General K. Gopala Krishna Kurup and other senior officials including Department Secretaries and Head of Forest Department attended the meeting.