📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Bimal K C from Cochin, India
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Kerala High Court orders formation of STF to curb Munnar land encroachments
✍️ India Today
🗓 25 Oct 2026, 03:02 AM
👁 12
The Kerala High Court has directed authorities to set up a dedicated Special Task Force to address illegal land encroachments in the hill station of Munnar.
The Kerala High Court issued an order mandating the creation of a Special Task Force (STF) to deal with persistent land encroachment issues in Munnar, a popular hill‑station in Idukki district. The court's directive calls for a focused team of officials to identify, verify and remove illegal structures that have proliferated on forest and plantation lands.
According to the order, the STF will operate under the supervision of the district administration and will coordinate with police, forest and revenue departments. Its mandate includes conducting surveys, issuing notices to encroachers and ensuring swift action to restore the affected areas.
The move comes amid growing concerns from environmental groups and local residents who say that unchecked encroachments threaten the region's fragile ecosystem and tourism potential. The court has asked the state government to submit a progress report within a stipulated timeframe.
Stakeholders are expected to cooperate fully with the task force, which is slated to begin operations within weeks, aiming to curb further illegal occupation and safeguard Munnar's natural heritage.
According to the order, the STF will operate under the supervision of the district administration and will coordinate with police, forest and revenue departments. Its mandate includes conducting surveys, issuing notices to encroachers and ensuring swift action to restore the affected areas.
The move comes amid growing concerns from environmental groups and local residents who say that unchecked encroachments threaten the region's fragile ecosystem and tourism potential. The court has asked the state government to submit a progress report within a stipulated timeframe.
Stakeholders are expected to cooperate fully with the task force, which is slated to begin operations within weeks, aiming to curb further illegal occupation and safeguard Munnar's natural heritage.