1,582 acres of land resumed: Minister

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Revenue Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan on Wednesday said that the government had resumed 1582 acres of encroached land from  Udumbanchola and Devikulam taluks under the Devikulam revenue division and Vagamon areas. He told reporters here that the second phase of the Munnar eviction process would begin soon. A meeting of the officials will be  convened on August 2.  He said in the Devikulam Revenue Division, encroachers were evicted from 922.99 acres of land from Devikulam and Udumbanchola taluks. The other areas cleared of encroachments are Chinnakanal village (471.47 acres), KDH Village (189.14 acres), Bison Valley (71 acres)and  Amaravathy village (2 acres).  At Vagamon, the government had resumed 472 acres of land, he said. The Minister said 80 acres were cleared of encroachments at Manjumala, 31 acres at Upputhara, 26 acres at Kokkayar, 20 acres at Peerumedu, 14 acres at Elappara, 10 acres at Periyar, 5.18 acres at Peruvanthanam and 45 cents at Kumili. He said in connection with encroachment, 42 cases were pending in the High Court and 15 cases in other courts.