Over 3,500 hectares of land leased to Harrison Malayalam, Cochin Malabar Estates without specified tenure, reveals RTI reply

Over 3,500 hectares of land were leased to private plantation companies Harrison Malayalam Limited and Cochin Malabar Estates within the Chalakudy Forest Division, with lease records going back to 1911 without specifying an expiry date.

The details emerged from official records released under the Right to Information (RTI) Act by the Chalakudy divisional forest office in response to a request filed by Raju Vazhakkala, a resident of Kakkanad. Documents provided by State Public Information Officer and Inspector General Shijo C. Kurian contain details of land leased to public sector enterprises, private entities and individuals for various purposes.

According to records, Harrison Malayalam Limited was allotted 2,453.73 hectares for rubber cultivation since 1911, while Cochin Malabar Estates was allotted 1,080.9632 hectares for rubber plantations in the same year. The records do not specify an expiration date for any lease. Both companies together represent 3,534.6932 hectares of leased land.

For 50 years

The disclosure also reveals that the Plantation Corporation of Kerala was allotted 4,261,048 hectares in 1967 for rubber and cashew plantations for a period of 50 years. The lease term ended in 2017, according to records.

The next allotment of Aluva Colony was made in 1935. Out of the 80.71 hectares allotted, 67.03 hectares were for the settlement colony and 4.05 hectares for the Government Tribal School. The Forest Department reclaimed 9.63 hectares of this land.

The records also list the land leased for various infrastructure and public utility projects, including the Vettillappara ferry bridge, the Dharbapadam Lift Irrigation project in Varandarappilly grama panchayat, roads, an underground electric cable project, a pumping station and a repeater station.

Published – 01 Nov 2026 18:13 IST