Thodupuzha: In a veiled attack against CPM leaders, including former minister MM Mani, who slammed the formation of a special task force to oversee the removal of encroachments in Idukki, CPI district secretary KK Shivaraman said that some people were losing their minds when action is taken to evict encroachers. 

Taking to Facebook, Shivaraman wrote, “They declare that they will chop off the hands, legs and tongues of those who try to evacuate (encroachments). Why go through so much trouble? Better to behead (them)!” 

“Thousands of acres of land in various panchayats of the district is under encroachment by mafias. It’s been a long time since they began selling the plantations of the district in small pieces. The authorities are unaware of all this. Even if they are aware, they are unable to halt such illegal activities,” he added. 

He further added that the government should be ready to take accurate action and nab all those big shots who encroached into government lands. The retrieved land should be distributed to the landless farmers and plantation workers, Shivaraman said.  

Earlier the other day, MM Mani had said that he would not allow the task force to interfere with the lives of people who migrated decades ago and businesses that operate in the hilly district. The encroachments of Tata and Harrisons Malayalam have to be addressed first, he added. 

The task force, led by the district collector, comprises a sub-collector, a revenue divisional officer (RDO), and a cardamom assistant commissioner. As per the government order, registration, forest, PWD, and local self-government departments should provide timely assistance to the task force.