Wayanad: The state government, late on Friday, acquired the land of Elston Estate following a Kerala High Court order, for the township project intended for the Chooralmala-Mundakkai landslide survivors. The government deposited an additional ₹17.77 crore at the High Court registry to acquire the 64.47 hectares of land.

The Elstone Estate management earlier approached the High Court, challenging the state government's decision to acquire their land for the project under the Disaster Management Act. 

However, on March 24, the court granted the government permission to acquire the land in a symbolic move ahead of the project inauguration, which was held on March 27. The court also ordered the deposit of ₹26.56 crore in the registry as compensation to the estate owners. 

The government deposited the amount following the directive, and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the project.

Meanwhile, in a separate order, the High Court directed the government to deposit an additional ₹17.77 crore to acquire the land permanently. The District Administration received the order by 7:30 pm and acted swiftly. The treasury was opened late at night, and the amount was transferred. 

The officials also put up a notice board at the site claiming that the state government has taken over 64.4705 hectares of land of resurvey number 88 in block 19. The notice also said the takeover process was in tune with the HC order dated April 11. 

District administration officials, including the special officer to the township project J C Arun, Additional District Magistrate K Devaki, tahsildars, and deputy collectors, were present at the time. District Collector D R Meghasree said that with the takeover, the government will be ready to start the construction work. "We have remitted the amount specified by HC and also have taken over the land now," she said. 

Uralungal kick-starts the construction work

The Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society (ULCCS), which took the contract for the project, has already started construction. "We received the order to start the work by 2:30 am on Saturday, and now we are here at the field," Uralungal Chief Operating Officer Arun Kumar told Onmanorama.

The employees and workers, who were preparing for their Vishu holidays, were asked to cancel their leaves and report for duty on Monday. "The roads would be constructed first, and by Wednesday, we could start the work on one model house in the township. No elements will be able to prevent us from executing the work perfectly and completing the work in time", Arun Kumar said.