Land grab in Idukki cardamom plantations: Massive corruption, irregularities in lease allotments

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Authorities have uncovered widespread irregularities and corruption in the leasing of government land for cardamom cultivation in Idukki district. In several cases, officials allegedly altered survey numbers to remove land from the Elamala forest category, paving the way for resale. More than 600 such cases have been detected. The land is reportedly being resold at prices ranging from Rs 40 lakh to Rs 70 lakh per acre.

The Revenue Department holds the rights over the land in the Elamala forest region, while the Forest Department holds the rights over the trees. Only cardamom cultivation and housing for plantation workers are permitted on the leased land. However, the Assistant Cardamom Settlement Office in Kumily, which handles lease-related procedures for cardamom plantations, has allegedly turned a blind eye to the irregularities in return for bribes amounting to lakhs of rupees.

The government is also suffering substantial revenue losses because applications for lease renewals are not being processed on time. These findings are detailed in a report submitted by a six-member team of officials appointed by the Land Revenue Commissioner following an inspection.

As many as 380 applications for land leases received since 2021 have not even been entered in the register. Instead, they have been kept in bundles of 50. Of the 1,606 applications received since 2022 for lease renewals, only 648 have been converted into files.

Official complicity

A total of 1,07,197 hectares of land suitable for cardamom cultivation has been identified across 31 villages in the Peermade, Udumbanchola, Devikulam and Idukki taluks. Of this, only 10,770 hectares have been leased out.

The settlement office is responsible for renewing leases upon the expiry of their terms. According to the allegations detailed in the report, bribes ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh per cent of land are collected for lease renewals and shared among those involved.

The office has 20 employees. Two deputy tahsildars, three special village officers and two village assistants, who are responsible for fieldwork, have allegedly failed for years to prepare advance tour diaries or submit them to their superiors.

Government loses revenue as lessees reap profits

Under a 20-year lease, the government receives a premium of Rs 5,000 per hectare and an annual lease rent of Rs 250. An acre of cardamom plantation yields around 500 kg of cardamom. At the current market price of Rs 2,500 per kg, a lessee earns Rs 12.5 lakh per acre. After deducting production costs, the profit is estimated at Rs 6.25 lakh.