Govt to challenge verdict against Munnar encroachments

Kerala Government today decided to challenge the High Court judgement, declaring as 'illegal' the action taken by the previous Marxist led government in 2007 to demolish resorts and buildings and evict encroachers from government lands in Munnar in Idukki district.
A decision in this regard was taken at a high-level meeting called by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy here in which Revenue minister Adoor Prakash, Transport minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, Advocate General K P Dandapani and the Idukki Collector, among others, participated to decide the future course of action to be taken in light of the verdict.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Chandy said government has decided to challenge the verdict delivered by a division bench, headed by Chief Justice Manjula Chellur.

However, since government had not yet received a copy of the judgement, a final decision on whether to file an appeal or a Review petition would be taken later, he said.
The LDF government had demolished resorts which had come up on government land and evicted several encroachers, challenging which they had approached the court.
The court had in its July 25 judgement also directed the government to pay a provisional compensation of Rs 10 lakh to owner of 'Cloud Nine' resort, which had been demolished.

Asked to comment on leader of the opposition V S Achuthanandan's decision to file an appeal against the verdict, Chandy said every citizen has the right to approach the court.

"However, welcoming judgements when it is in your favour and going against it when it is against you... I cannot agree to the same', the Chief Minister said.
On the controversy over the Chief Justice delivering the judgement after she was transferred to Kolkata High Court, he said the judge had heard the case eight months ago. To deliver the judgement was her duty. 'I am not for criticising the judge.Though government has decided to challenge the judgement we are not for criticising the action of the CJ', he said.
On criticism over allotment of new batch of plus two schools, he said the financial burden of the government would work out to only around Rs 100 crore.