The New Indian Express ·
Over 400 villagers in TN's Palani awaiting patta for 16 years
DINDIGUL: Over 400 economically disadvantaged villagers from Periyammapatti in Palani taluk alleged a prolonged delay in the distribution of land allotted to them, with beneficiaries waiting for pattas for parcels covering nearly 750 acres for several years.
Chinna Ramu, one of the beneficiaries, said, “We are extremely upset over the delay in distribution of the land. Along with several hundred others, I was selected by the revenue department in the 2010s after we submitted petitions seeking land. However, we were informed about our selection only after five years.” He said that when the beneficiaries approached the taluk office in 2021, they were informed that the land parcels had been classified into two categories — irrigated land (Nanjai) and rainfed land (Manavari). Beneficiaries under the irrigated land category were to receive 1.5 acres each, while those under the rainfed category were eligible for two acres.
Uzhavar Pathukappu Sangam secretary R Kalidas said the lands originally belonged to the Zamindar of Neikkarapatti. “Around 2,500 acres of land were classified, of which 1,250 acres were permitted for distribution following land reform movements. The distribution was carried out under the Tamil Nadu Land Reforms (Fixation of Ceiling on Land) Act, 1961, and was implemented in 1971. In the early 1980s, around 500 beneficiaries received pattas for land parcels ranging from 1.5 to two acres,” he said.