Hartal in Munnar against govt’s eviction move by ruling parties

By O.J.George

That Munnar evictions are not easy has been hawkishly pronounced by various ruling front parties by ordering a hartal in Munnar on Tuesday.

The hartal is called by CPM-influenced High Range Samrakshana Samithi (protection council) in taluks of Devicolam, Udumbanchola and Peermade and panchayats of Kanjikuzhy and Vathikudy in Idukki district.

The issue raised is the attitude of the LDF government with regard to evictions in Munnar. The ruling parties in Idukki district are deadly against any form of eviction in Munnar and other parts of Idukki district.

The latest U-turn has been made by CPI which held a high-level meeting in Thodupuzha on Monday. Its trade union leader C.A.Kurien has apparently threatened to walk off the party, if it supports eviction. His plea is that those supporting the move against eviction would cross over to the CPM, whose district secretary M.M.Mani is a hawk supporting settlers.
CPM, CPI and Kerala Congress(Joseph) are supporting the hartal. Reports doing the rounds in media are that there was a move to declare Munnar as Ecologically Fragile Land(EFL). The charge is that this has been pointed out in a report submitted to the High Court which is looking into the encroachment issue.

Moreover, the court was told on behalf of the government that various LDF people, including those of the CPM, are holding land unauthorisedly.

The Idukki district leaders of various LDF partners have thus been convinced that the government was making concerted efforts to evict encroachers.

Renvenue Minister K.P.Prabhakaran, Forest Minister Benoy Viswam and CPI state secretary Veliyam Bhargavan have made it clear that there was no move to declare Munnar as ecologically fragile land.

The Congress Party has been taking a guarded posture. Follow the legal procedure to take action against encroachers, according to its leaders. Eviction is easier said than done.