1,865 acres of land to be acquired

Kochi: The Wayanad district administration has decided to acquire 1,865 acres (1 acre = 0.4 hectare) of land for rehabilitation of tribal people, the State government said in a petition filed before the Kerala High Court on Tuesday.

The petition, filed through K.R. Ganesh, Senior Government Pleader, sought to extend by four months the time given by the court to evict encroachers from land in possession of V.M. Sreyamskumar, MLA, and others in Wayanad.

Otherwise, the governments attempt at rehabilitation would be seriously prejudiced, the petition said. The Supreme Court, dismissing an appeal filed by the State against the High Court directive for eviction, had ordered that the government and the District Collector could approach the High Court to get the deadline extended.

The petition said authorities had inspected land proposed to be acquired at Mananthavady and Vythiri. The administration would negotiate with landowners the price of the property to be purchased.

The government said 34 huts each were removed from lands at Mupainad and Pozhuthana villages.