3 acres of encroached land evicted

THODUPUZHA: The Revenue Department with the help of the newly-constituted Public Land Protection Force evicted a 3-acre encroached land which had been illegally given on lease for elephant ride near the Mattupetty Dam.A 300-metre road had been built in the area between the Mattupetty Top Station Road and reservoir.A Mattupetty resident was behind the encroachment, revenues sources said.The encroacher had given the land on lease to Poonjar Planthotathil Georgekutty.Wooden stands had been built for the tourists to mount on top of the elephants. The ride had begun a week back.The encroacher is suspected to have felled several trees to make the land suitable for the ride, sources said.Kannan Devan Hills Village deputy tehsildars P Bhagavaldas and R Sudip led the eviction.