The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Villagers fight land grab

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 01, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Villagers fight land grab

K. Manikandan

DIVIDING LINE: Fences have come up around the panchayat union school, Venkatamangalam. Villagers say attempts are on to usurp the school's land. — Photo: A. Muralitharan

TAMBARAM: Residents of Venkatamangalam village near Tambaram have come together to thwart attempts by vested interests to usurp a portion of land near the local primary school.

They are also fighting the alleged official indifference that was causing serious problems.

The Kattankulatur Panchayat Union Primary School at Venkatamangalam, has about 90 students. It was started in 1951 and shifted to its present location in the early 1960's, the village elders recalled.

The Venkatamangalam Village Panchayat had given about three cents of land, adjacent to the school, to an aged woman, issued a patta in her name. The land handed over was classified as `grama naththam.'

However, the woman sold off the land and now attempts are on to usurp close to 30 cents of land, residents allege. Fencing for the same recently commenced and residents, alarmed at the action, began to discuss the problem.

Recently, village elders, parents, members of the women's self-help group and some elected representatives had met and unanimously resolved to fight to protect the property, which they said, rightly belonged to the school and the entire panchayat.

The Village Education Committee and the school's Parent Teachers' Association members say, a part of the land that was now being fenced was the school playground. If the school were upgraded to middle or high school levels, it would need land.

At the meeting, residents alleged that officials of the Revenue Department had caused the problem by issuing certificates and land documents without adhering to any norms.

The officials were also attempting to re-classify some areas of Government property, which would help real estate developers.

However, Revenue officials denied the allegations and categorically stated that no land document was prepared to enable the sale of Government property to individuals, let alone real estate promoters. They came to know about encroachment of a portion of land near the school and it was only about five cents and not 30 cents as apprehended by the residents.

Action would be taken against land grabbing; the officials said adding that the land on which the school was located was classified as poramboke.

There was no document to indicate that the land belonged to the school or the Kattankulathur Panchayat Union, they added.

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