Pending reclassification of land has denied pattas to the residents of Samathuvapuram of Kattinayapalli in Krishnagiri

Residents of Periyar Ninaivu Samathuvapuram in Krishnagiri protest for housing unit pattas after 19-year-old demand.

Residents of Periyar Ninaivu (Memorial) Samathuvapuram of Kaatunayapalli panchayat here staged a protest on Wednesday demanding pattas for their housing units. The protesters gathered here to “call attention” to their “19-year-old demand” for pattas

According to the protesters, Periyar Ninaivu Samathuvapuram came into being in 1999, and was rendered to disuse under the AIADMK. It was revived and the housing units were handed over to the residents in 2006, when the DMK government came to power.  “The houses were handed over by the present Chief Minister M.K.Stalin at that time. While, all other Samathuvapurams have been granted pattas, this is the Samathuvapuram that has not been given pattas yet,” said a protester.  

Outlining the series of measures taken by the residents, the protesters said, their petitions to the special cell of the Chief Minister and also to the district Collector at the Jamapandi had shown promise. “We were told there will be reclassification of the land that is currently Meichal Nila Porampok. But, there is no action taken yet,” was a common refrain among the protesters. 

Periyar Ninaivu Samathuvapuram of Kaatunayapalli was set up on Animal husbandry land and is classified as Meichal Nila Porampok (grazing land for cattle). Speaking to The Hindu requesting anonymity, a revenue official said that the value of the land, where Samathuvapuram was located had increased manifold.  

To reclassify the said land, the Revenue Department should compensate the Animal Husbandry Department with double the area of land. The land will then have to be reclassified as Kodukal Porampok (a classification that is eligible for patta) and later to Grama Natham porampok - both these revenue classifications are eligible for pattas.

“In this case, the land value on the one hand had gone up, curbing the powers of the Collector to compensate,” said the revenue official.

As of date, the file is still pending with the DRA (Department of Revenue Administration). It will have to be reclassified there and the same should be declared in the government gazette, said the official.