Revenue department to conduct hearing for landowners in Keralam’s ecologically fragile Chokramudy

You don’t have any Active Subscription.

Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials, Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription

Neelakurinji bloom in an area under encroachment in the Chokramudy hills under Bison Valley panchayat in Idukki. | Photo Credit: Sandeep Vellaram

The controversial land at Chokramudy under the Bison Valley panchayat in Idukki has once again grabbed headlines, with the Revenue department deciding to conduct a hearing for local petitioners.

The move follows a recent High Court order directing the Devikulam Subcollector to grant landowners an opportunity to submit relevant land records and to conduct a formal hearing. Acting on the court’s directive, Subcollector V.M. Arya scheduled the proceedings.

The Subcollector stated that the court had granted landowners two weeks to submit their original title documents. “The court directed us to complete the hearing process within four months. The landowners have not yet submitted their records. Once they do, the Revenue department will take the necessary steps to hold the hearing,” Ms. Arya said.

In 2024, the Chokramudy hills near Munnar were widely known as a hotspot for encroachers. Within two years, however, the landscape became a thriving wildlife habitat, including the endangered Nilgiri tahr.

The area first drew intense public attention in August 2024, when a native of Adimaly purchased 14.69 acres of ecologically fragile land in the Chokramudy hills and attempted to subdivide it into more than 60 commercial plots. The encroacher constructed an illegal road, felled numerous rare trees, and built a check dam across the hillside. In response, downstream residents formed the Chokramudy Protection Council to resist the illegal development.

Following local complaints, the State government constituted two Special Investigation Teams (SITs) — one led by K. Sethuraman, former director of the Police Training College, and another headed by the Devikulam Subcollector. The investigation uncovered large-scale encroachment on government land alongside extensive damage to rare Neelakurinji flora.

Acting on the SIT findings, the Revenue department cancelled title deeds for 13.69 acres in March 2025 and reclaimed the land. By August 2025, authorities cancelled deeds for an additional 1.05 acres and seized an illegal resort built on the tract.

Meanwhile, local tribal communities voiced serious concerns over the recent court order, fearing the land could once again fall into the hands of encroachers. Kumaraswami, head of the Chokramudy tribal settlement, warned that if encroachers return, community members will pitch temporary sheds on the hills and stage an indefinite protest.

Officials noted that following the government takeover, the Chokramudy hills experienced a massive blooming of Neelakurinji blossoms, restoring a vital sanctuary for both endemic flora and fauna, including the Nilgiri tahr.

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.