Revenue Adalats sitting on files to inflate plaint figures

In an effort to come out with inflated figures of complaint redressal in the revenue adalat scheduled for every district, revenue officials are allegedly asked to sit on files which have already been positively considered and redressed. It is alleged that instructions have been given to all the revenue offices across the state not to issue pattayams (title deeds) or provide relief measures to those whose applications/complaints have been cleared but only to disburse them at the forthcoming adalats.

The government has decided to conduct revenue adalats in all the 14 districts to sort out various complaints , including issues related to resurvey, pattayam, relief measures under National Family Benefit Scheme and Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund. Most of the complaints that have been settled are alleged to be kept in abeyance for its distribution only in the adalatas for ensuring more participation. 

Alleging that the officials in each district have been asked to make sure of about 20,000 to 25,000 participation  in the adalats,  Kerala Revenue Department Staff Association (KRDSA) president K Sreekantan Nair said ''directions have been issued during the various meetings convened by the district collector and other officials not to proceed on any of the applications which has been settled. But was asked to proceed them only at the adalats.'' The government was only conducting adalats as a forum to blow things out of proportion, he said and added that all the issues that come up in the adalats are normally dealt at the revenue offices itself.  

''There are instances where the files are delayed for years.  The adalats should focus on clearing these long pending files and applications and not for redressing the issues on which action has already been completed. It is absurd on the government to conduct such adalats,'' Nair said. 

Meanwhile, Revenue Minister Adoor Prakash said that there were some people who were out for scuttling a major event.  Stating that the adalat will give more focus on complaints that have been pending for a long time, he said that instructions  have been issued to settle all the issues except that is entangled in court cases. ''The adalat is being conducted for getting results. It has been directed that the applications received after the announcement of the adalat should be cleared at the event itself. We hope that a majority of the complaints and applications will be disposed off at the adalat,' he said.   

Source: The New Indian Express 

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/400765/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/22-12-2014#page/6/1