TRIVANDRUM, 5 July — The Kerala state government has decided to act against 10 officials, including a former district chief, who are suspected of conniving with grabbers of forestland.

Chief Minister A.K. Antony’s Cabinet, after a meeting late Wednesday, said action would be initiated against the officials, including former Idukki district chief T.J. Mathew, over the grabbing of land at Mathikettan.

This was decided after a three-member government committee headed by Additional Chief Secretary N. Chandrasekharan Nair submitted a report on the controversy following a visit to the area. The encroached land will be handed back to the Forest Department.

The controversy had rocked the government following allegations that relatives of Revenue Minister K.M. Mani and members of his Kerala Congress (M) party were involved in the land grab.

The issue came to light when Forest Minister K. Sudhakaran visited Mathikettan following several complaints of rampant encroachment and found them to be true.

Opposition legislator P.C. George of the Kerala Congress (J) immediately began targeting the government, especially Mani, over the controversy.

An embattled Mani hurriedly called a press conference in April and asked the government to hand the grabbed land — which is close to 5,000 acres of precious shola woods — back to the Forest Department.

The chief minister has decided against following an earlier rule saying those who had taken possession of forestland before 1977 would not be proceeded against. He said only 1,000 acres of forestland now remains in Mathikettan and encroachments started in 1966.

“Irrespective of the earlier announced stand that 1977 would be the cut off year, we have decided that all those who occupy forestland would be evicted. The issue of 1977 and earlier does not rise at all,” Antony said.

George has now sought to know whether the government planned action only against the officials suspected of connivance. “We would like to know what action would be taken against the encroachers. This is an issue which has to be tackled, if not similar incidents would occur again.”

Added the opposition legislator: “Antony has done the right thing at Mathikettan and it would be good if he repeats this in other areas. I can provide details of land grab that has happened elsewhere.”