Thiruvavanthapuram: The Ummen Chandi government will take back 697, 46 acres near the Neyyar dam reservoir area that was being held by the illegal occupants to distribute it, under the zero landless programme. The land resumption by the revenue department will also benefit 73 families those who are residing below (MEL) of the Neyyardam, belonging to the Kallikked, Villages in Thiruvanthapuram. The government’s action is synonymous with the long pending demand of 566 families who are residing in the three villages at Anchchangala area falling Kattakada taluk, without ownership of the land for the last 60 years.
Ina meeting convened by revenue minister, collector was asked to furnish a report on the matter. The collector, after excluding intelligible families from the list, had submitted a list of 477 families to the government. According to the report of the collector, there are 298 families in Vazhachal, 165 eligible families in Kallikkad, and 14 in Abort villages. A survey of the three villages also found that the total area under question is 818, 82 acres (331.50 hectares).
The government has decide that only the land that are eligible to be held by the 477 families will be given titles, and the remaining land will be taken back by the government . On the basis of this decision, barring the 121.36 acres (49.14 hectares), the remaining 697.46 acres out of the 818.82 acres will be taken back which will be used for distribution.
Before issuing the titles, the government had sought opinion from the forest department that had reported that the area Under question does not fall under the forest land , and the department has no objection in is suing the titles for has also clarified that those families who have been excluded from the list, will be issued titles if they can privet their holding over the land for more than a specific period of time.
