
20 Irular families in Chengai face eviction threat due to patta issue in Chennai
Of the 40 Irular families living in the locality, 20 of them do not have pattas (land title deed). Except one or two, most of them live in permanent dwellings which were constructed with the help of a local trust a few years ago, residents said. The local village panchayat has helped lay roads and install street lights, but the 20 houses without patta have not been given power connection.
Members of the families have been working as agricultural labourers in three nearby villages for years, while youngsters study in local schools that are 3-4 km away, said a resident.
On May 14, officials from the Thiruporur taluk visited the locality and informed them that no additional pattas would be sanctioned for the Irulars as the land on which they are living is 'meikal poramboke'.
The authorities also told them that they would be relocated to a different location where they would get pattas and government-sponsored housing. It is not known what action has been planned on the other 20 families who have received pattas.

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New Indian Express
3 days ago
- New Indian Express
Kancheepuram misses deadline to build houses for irular tribals; families still in huts amid delays
CHENNAI: The Kancheepuram district administration has missed its promised deadline of August 15 for constructing 88 houses for Irular tribal families in Katrambakkam and Mannur villages. The families, who live in huts near waterbodies, have been waiting for the state government to construct houses since 2021 when they received pattas (land titles). Construction of the houses on identified land in these two villages started in March this year. Senior IAS officer and managing director of Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar Housing and Development Corporation (TAHDCO) KS Kandasamy, on May 1, inspected the works and promised the Irulars that the houses would be delivered by August 15. However, a status update as on Friday shows in Katrambakkam, only the foundation and base level work has been completed in some houses, while in others some pillars have been erected. In Mannur, most house plots have only dug pits with work moving at a slow pace. Worried at the prospect of spending another North-East Monsoon with snakes and mosquitoes invading their huts, the tribal families have requested the authorities to complete the works before October. Acknowledging the delay, a senior government official told TNIE it would be finished within a month.


New Indian Express
31-05-2025
- New Indian Express
20 Irular families in Chengai face eviction threat due to patta issue in Chennai
CHENNAI: Twenty Irular families living for decades in a village near Tirukazhkundram in Chengalpattu district now fear displacement after local authorities began inquiries a few weeks ago. Of the 40 Irular families living in the locality, 20 of them do not have pattas (land title deed). Except one or two, most of them live in permanent dwellings which were constructed with the help of a local trust a few years ago, residents said. The local village panchayat has helped lay roads and install street lights, but the 20 houses without patta have not been given power connection. Members of the families have been working as agricultural labourers in three nearby villages for years, while youngsters study in local schools that are 3-4 km away, said a resident. On May 14, officials from the Thiruporur taluk visited the locality and informed them that no additional pattas would be sanctioned for the Irulars as the land on which they are living is 'meikal poramboke'. The authorities also told them that they would be relocated to a different location where they would get pattas and government-sponsored housing. It is not known what action has been planned on the other 20 families who have received pattas.


Time of India
15-05-2025
- Time of India
TN govt adds nursery maintenance, greenery, and tree planting in MGNREGA scheme
Status: cleared Chennai: The Tamil Nadu govt has introduced tree planting and nursery maintenance under the category of works under the MGNREGA scheme . The govt will create nurseries in every district with various plants, flowers, and shrubs, and the workers will take care of them every day. Rural development department officials said two workers from a family will be deployed per nursery. "When a tree matures up to six feet high, it will then be shifted to roadsides, parks, or lake bunds. Tree planting along medians and watering will also be included. This will create a sense of communityship to add greenery in neighbourhoods," said the official. Officials said as they have added greenery within this scheme so more parks can be created. It won't require floating separate tenders. In a recent GO, the department also instructed local bodies to ensure greenery and tree plantation in all govt schools through the scheme. From about 40 crore mandays in 2023, the number of work hours allocated for the state by the centre reduced to 20 crore mandays the next year, and now, it's only 12 crore mandays. "TN beneficiaries are getting just about 60 days of work. This is still better than most other states, but we need more mandays to ensure people get more work," said the official. The state also hiked the MGNREGA wages from Rs 319 to Rs 336 this year. Activists said that district administrations must carry out resurveys to add left-out families under the scheme. "This scheme is yet to reach several Narikuravar and Irular tribal families. As a result, they are forced to work in farmlands of dominant caste members, and some are subject to discrimination too," said M Azhagesan, Chengalpet district secretary of TN Tribal Association. ENDS MSID:: 121192954 413 |