Munnar/Peermedu: Kerala's hilly Idukki district has been a favourite hunting ground for land encroachers for several generations. Resourceful private parties who had been taking over forest or government land with impunity subsequently managed to appropriate revenue records, but with the intervention of the judiciary, land usurpation has been curbed to some extent of late.

The other day over 100 acres of government land encroached by private individuals and resorts were recovered by the officials of the revenue department during a massive eviction drive in Vagamon, Munnar and Pothamedu Cardamom Hill Reserve zone.

The revenue officials recovered 79 acres of government land in Ullupunni in Vagamon which was encroached about 10 years ago. The land bearing survey numbers 818, 819 and 879 in Vagamon village along with four buildings were sealed following orders from the Idukki district administration.

The investigation wing of the revenue department had found that the property which was in the possession of private persons and groups, was actually government land.

The revenue officials on the strength of the court order swung into action and evicted the parties when they were in the process of staking a claim for ownership of the land.

The revenue department also recovered 17.5 acres of government land which was in illegal possession of a private resort owner in Pothamedu CHR zone. The government was engaged in a legal battle over the ownership of the land for the past 25 years. The revenue department retrieved the land and installed a government board on the basis of a Kerala High Court order issued on September 25.

Devikulam Land Record Tahsilidar K Radhakrishnan, Nedukandam Tahslildar Niju Kurian, deputy Tahsildars M E Subair, M Arun, Wagamon Tahslidar N K Shaji, deputy Tahsildar M C Rosamma, village officer Subhash, taluk surveyors Ajesh and Albert led the eviction drive.