Tribal families in Kerala's Nelliyampathy still denied land tax rights six years after getting pattayas
NELLIYAMPATHY (PALAKKAD): 'How can a government give us titles and then deny us the right to prove we own the land?' asks Manoharan, his voice trembling with a mix of anger and heartbreak. A member of the Malasar tribe in Nelliyampathy residing in the Bhagavathi Mooppan Tribal Colony, Manoharan is among 127 tribal families caught in a cruel paradox - granted land titles after a 16-year-long struggle, yet they are being denied the basic right to pay tax in their own names.
The land ownership titles, or pattayas, were distributed in 2018 to 127 tribal families from the Malasar and Irular communities during a highly publicised government function in Palakkad by the then government. The gesture was seen as a long-overdue acknowledgement of their fight for land, which began in 2002 - a few weeks ahead of the well-known Muthanga land agitation.
'It took 16 long years for the authorities to finally allot one acre each to 127 families,' 52-year-old Manoharan told TNIE.
'Today, 186 families are living on the land, which was once part of the state-run Nelliyampathy Orange Farm. But even now, we can't pay land tax in our names. What kind of ownership is this?'
The problem, according to officials, lies in the fact that the allotted land was originally classified as a forest village. The subdivision records necessary to complete the transfer of ownership are still being prepared. As a result, local village offices have refused to process tax payments, citing jurisdictional limitations under the forest department.
'This is not just about land tax. It's about dignity, recognition, and the right to live without fear of eviction,' said V S Prasad, a local political leader who has been supporting the tribal community's demands. 'Without proper documents and recognition, these families remain vulnerable, despite the pattayas in their hands.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
a day ago
- New Indian Express
Maoist's family appeals for his body to perform final rites in Andhra's Eluru district
RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: The family of top CPI (Maoist) leader Thentu Lakshminasimha Chalam, alias Sudhakar, who was killed in an encounter in the Indravati National Park in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, has appealed to the State and Central governments to hand over his body to conduct his last rites in their native village of Satyavolu in Pedapadu mandal, Eluru district. Sudhakar (66), originally hailed from Vizianagaram district, but his father Ramakrishna Naidu, belonging to the BC community, migrated to Pragadavaram in the erstwhile West Godavari district in 1970 before settling in Satyavolu. Speaking to TNIE, Sudhakar's elder brother Anandarao (75) and sister-in-law Satyavati expressed a deep desire to give him a proper farewell. 'Sudhakar was a brilliant man. He chose his own path and left home in 1983. We last met him around 30 years ago in Rajamahendravaram Central Jail,' said Satyavati. She said police have been visiting their home for the past 24 hours. Recalling Sudhakar's life, she said he could have lived a peaceful life had he married his cousin in Vizianagaram. 'His father even allotted him an acre of land. But fate took a different turn,' she said. Sudhakar's sisters are now settled in Vizianagaram and Vizag. The family lost contact with him for decades after he joined the Maoist movement. The second brother, who settled in Guntur, passed away recently. Sudhakar, who carried a bounty of Rs 1 crore, was elevated to the CPI (Maoist) Central Committee in 2021.
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- New Indian Express
Chief Minister Stalin announces full support for tribal girl's education after JEE Advanced success
CHENNAI: Congratulating A Rajeshwari, a Malayali tribal girl from Karumandurai, a village in the Kalvarayan Hills, who secured an all-India rank of 417 under the Scheduled Tribe category in JEE Advanced, Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday announced that the state will bear the entire expenses for her higher studies. TNIE was the first to report the story The CM, in a post on his X handle, said, 'I salute Rajeshwari, a student of the government residential school, for realising her father's dream even after his death. More girls like Rajeshwari joining the IIT will be a real source of pride for the institution. The DMK government will continue to work towards that.' The state has been taking care of education expenses of government school students joining premier institutions like IITs since 2003. The government has also allocated Rs 50 crore for the Kalloori Kanavu scheme in this year's budget to send 2,000 government school students from TN to premier institutions. With the closing ST rank of the last tribal girl student to get admitted to IIT-Madras in 2024 being 1,691, officials are confident that Rajeshwari will certainly get an IIT seat. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami and DMDK and AMMK leaders congratulated Rajeshwari on her achievement.
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- New Indian Express
Not experts to declare waterbody as sanctuary: Madurai bench of Madras HC
MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on Wednesday disposed of suo motu proceedings initiated to declare Samanatham tank in Thiruparankundram as a sanctuary, observing that it is not an expert body and cannot issue a positive direction substituting expert views and directives of the executives. "No doubt bird migration activities are going on in the tank. But such decisions have to be taken by the government on the recommendations of the competent authorities and by getting expert reports from the concerned authorities," a bench comprising justices S M Subramaniam and A D Maria Clete noted. Declaration of a tank as a sanctuary requires certain procedures to be followed under statutes and rules in force, they pointed out. The Wildlife Protection Act contemplates various conditions and circumstances warranting such a declaration in the public interest. The authorities may take note of the facts reiterated by the division bench concerned while initiating suo motu proceedings and if necessary, take action, the judges added. The court had initiated the proceedings in February by taking suo motu cognizance of various appeals made to protect the water body. It also took note of a news report published by TNIE on August 25, 2024, about a similar recommendation made by the Madurai Nature Cultural Foundation, which had visited the water body and found about 300 rare species of birds. At present, the tank is easily accessible to the public and is therefore vulnerable to poaching and loss of natural habitat, the court noted. Recalling that a PIL petition filed by R Manibharathi seeking the same relief was closed given the submissions made by the state that proposals have been forwarded to the government, the court had initiated the suo moto proceedings.
