THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Forest Department, in its statement given to the special police team re-investigating the Merchiston Estate land deal, has reiterated its stand that it is the custodian of the ecologically fragile land (EFL).According to sources, the Forest Department has maintained that 268.8 hectares of land is ecologically fragile according to relevant clauses in the Kerala Forests (Vesting and Management of Ecologically Fragile Lands) Act. Sources said that the police team was trying to get the version of the Revenue Department officials who were well-versed in the technicalities of the land in that area. “The statements of the field-level revenue officials who were holding the office when the deal was made will also be taken. But most of them currently stay transferred owing to the elections,” sources said. The police had also considered the fact that taxes had been paid for the land excluding the land claimed to be surplus land.Investigators also recorded statements of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) officials and seized the relevant documents. Sources said that the investigators would also record the statements of the Jayasree Tea and Industries Limited from whom the Southern Field Ventures Private Limited owned by businessman Xavi Mano Mathew acquired the property in question.The Revenue Department, on the basis of the Kerala Forests (Vesting and Management of Ecologically Fragile Lands) Act notified on June 2, 2000, has been of the view that the sale deed executed by Jayasree Tea and Industries Limited is void and directed that the land should be vested with the government free from all encumbrances. This was stated in the report of the Survey Directorate. The government had set up a special 10-member team headed by IG South Zone K Padmakumar to re-investigate the case. After the earlier police team consisting of a deputy commissioner of police and an assistant commissioner which investigated the case sought permission from the court to write off the case referring it as ‘mistake of fact’, the Forest Department had strongly intervened against the move. According to the Department, no statements of the custodian of Ecologically Fragile Land and the Divisional Forest Officer were recorded by the investigating officials.The issue dates back to 2007 when the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) had asked the state for land to set up the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) in the capital. The ISRO had bought the land coming under Merchiston Estate near Ponmudi from Xavi Mano Mathew, who claims to own the estate, but a portion of the land bought was allegedly notified as ‘ecologically fragile’, which means that it belonged to the government and should have been vested with the Forest Department.
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