THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state has identified 584 individuals and organizations occupying government-leased land without fulfilling lease obligations or paying dues, totaling arrears of Rs 665.30 crore. Government data offers a district-wise breakdown of these pending recoveries, though it admits a lack of compiled records on the extent of land held by violators.
The data reveals a widespread pattern of violations, contrasting sharply with the value of unpaid dues. Notably, Thiruvananthapuram has 157 violators with debts of Rs 104.70 crore, while Ernakulam has 60 defaulters, the highest in the state at Rs 280 crore, highlighting the high market value of government land in Kerala’s commercial hub.
Thrissur has also emerged significantly, with 15 violators owing Rs 201.34 crore, indicative of substantial lease breaches. In Kollam, 16 cases account for Rs 33 crore in dues. Kottayam has six defaulters with Rs 14.46 crore, while Alappuzha, with 52 cases, shows dues of Rs 2.75 crore, reflecting a mix of scattered violations and moderate holdings.
Some districts exhibit fewer cases but larger arrears: Malappuram (2 cases; Rs 1.93 crore), Kozhikode (10 cases; Rs 19.15 crore), and Kasaragod (4 cases; Rs 6.87 crore).
In contrast, Idukki shows a spread of violations with 256 cases but minimal dues of Rs 5,54,783, likely due to small parcels and inheritance-related extensions on leased land. Other districts report low dues: Palakkad (one case; Rs 98,56,476), Wayanad (one case; Rs 4,75,481), and Kannur (two cases; Rs 2,31,929). Pathanamthitta reported two cases with no pending lease dues, completing the tally of 584 cases across 14 districts.
Despite the large number of violations, the amount of land reclaimed is minimal. Revenue Minister K Rajan stated that only 2.737 hectares have been retrieved statewide. This stark contrast between significant arrears on paper and minimal land recovery reveals a concerning lack of comprehensive data on the extent of illegal occupancy of government land.
In response to various inquiries, Rajan mentioned that notices have been issued to defaulters and recovery actions are being pursued under the Revenue Recovery Act, 1968. The government is also cancelling leases where conditions have been violated and is taking steps to reclaim the land under the Kerala Land Conservancy Act.
However, the situation exposes a structural issue: “The government does not have a consolidated record of total land under illegal lease possession in the state,” the minister informed the assembly. Officials rely on district-level records, resulting in an absence of a unified state-level overview of government land lost to lease violations.
These findings raise serious questions about the state’s land management, particularly as public land becomes increasingly contested amid rising urban pressures and the government’s search for land to support public infrastructure and affordable housing initiatives.
