Thiruvanantahpuram: Kerala revenue minister E. Chandrasekharan on Friday temporarily stalled the transfer of some revenue officials in Munnar which had stirred up a controversy.
The minister gave a verbal order to stall the order saying it would be better to have the service of the officials until the new subcollector takes charge and take stock of the situation, Manorama News reported.
The officials belonged to a special team formed by former Devikulam subcollector Sriram Venkitaraman to carry out the anti-encroachment drive in the district. After the government moved Sriram from the position, the officials had requested the government to reassign them with their earlier services.
Read: LDF govt evicts subcollector Sriram Venkitaraman from Devikulam
Nailing a lie: Sriram Venkitaraman’s transfer was not with a promotion
As per the requests, Devikulam additional tahasildar was transferred to Thodupuzha and the officers, who were handling the Munnar land tribunal cases, to Nedukandam.
The new subcollector will take charge on Monday.
Sriram Venkitaraman, whose daring acts stirred up a dispute between the CPM and CPI leaderships over eviction of encroachments in Munnar, was shunted out earlier this month.
The Pinarayi Vijayan-led state cabinet decided to post him as director, employment and training. Wayanad subcollector Premkumar will replace him as the Devikulam subcollector.
Though the government had tried to play down the controversy over the transfer, saying it was a promon, later it emerged that it was only a transfer.