Munnar's demolition man takes a break

Due to the new task force chief going on sick leave, the demolition plans in Munnar have been stalled.

Additional Land Revenue Commissioner V M Gopala Menon, who took charge from Suresh Kumar after the furore and the political turmoil that followed, went on leave just before August 10, thus stalling the work of the Task Force.

Suresh Kumar, who became a soft target for Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan's detractors, had also gone on 'sick leave' for a month, forcing a replacement.

The CPI(M)-led government had been going through a series of problems ever since the Munnar eviction drive started.

The tussle between Achuthanandan and the Tatas, the bribery allegations against the party and its mouthpiece Deshabhimani, and the party channel Kairali TV helping businessman Faris Aboobacker to express adverse remarks about Achuthanandan have all helped in worsening matters.

Also, the continuing infighting between the Chief Minister and CPI(M) secretary Pinarayi Vijayan has only added in tarnishing the party's image.

So, the plans to resume eviction of encroachers at Munnar from August 10 are being seen as a face-saving exercise and an effort to divert public attention from other issues at present plaguing the party.

But local hoteliers and shopkeepers have other views. Hotelier Pappachan of the Elanjikkal Group says: "Contrary to what has been made out to be, the demolitions have only succeeded in attracting bad publicity and media coverage. Many business establishments have started functioning as they used to."

Meanwhile, Kanan Devan Hill Plantations Ltd, in which the Tatas have a stake, has reiterated that it has not encroached on the government land. Local people find the government's stance laughable. When asked, one of them said, "The government officials just came, saw and demolished big buildings."

So what does the government plan to do in the second phase? According to Revenue Minister K P Rajendran, the demolitions will continue with the "same vigour".

The government machinery aims to recover at least 15,000 acres more, which would total around 30,000 acres, he said. According to the official figures, the anti-encroachment drive has led to the demolition of around 100 constructions and over 11,000 acres have been recovered.

When asked about the resumption of the demolition, Ramadas, Tahsildar of Munnar, was clueless. "We, sitting in Munnar, can't say anything about what the capital plans. Last time the task force officials arrived at a short notice".

With the Onam season set to begin in a week and Menon's leave period to end only by August 21, this month may not see the rubble falling again in Munnar.