Fifty cents of government poramboke land worth more than 11 crore in Ayyapanthangal has been encroached upon by land grabbers with the alleged help of local officials. 

It is learnt that the poramboke land in Survey Number 38 in Ayyappanthangal was illegally subdivided into plots and were sold to some private parties who started constructions there. This is despite a resolution passed by Ayyappanthangal village panchayat for using the land for public convenience, especially for 200 Adi Dravidar families residing in the locality. Sources said the land was originally earmarked by the executive officer of Ayyapanthangal village panchayat for the construction of a water tank, public convenience, and a library.

Residents claimed that despite their repeated requests to use the land for public purposes, the officials failed to do so. In June 2019, some private parties fenced the entire land and started dividing it by fixing survey stones and laying temporary roads. When the residents alerted the officials, the latter allegedly failed to act. It was later found that with the connivance of officials, the land grabbers had fabricated documents to obtain pattas.

A database of government lands, the survey number was found to be government land. Sources told Express that a case in this regard has already been filed in the Madras High Court and notices have been issued to the district collector, tahsildar, block development officer (BDO), executive officer of Ayyapanthangal village panchayat among others. But the case has yet to be listed.

The sources further said the district collector had asked to initiate action to stop the encroachment, but the tahsildar, BDO, and the executive officer of the village panchayat failed to do so. “This is tantamount to cheating by officials. The government land can’t change hands. It can be taken back,” said an official source.

When Express tried to reach out to the BDO, his phone was switched off; so was the phone of tahsildar. The land is Meykal Promboke in government records and the title deed is not an assigned-patta issued under the Tamil Nadu Land Reforms (Disposal of Surplus Land) Rules 1965. Also, the procedure to be followed for granting patta has not been followed, the petitioner has submitted in the court.

Advocate Abdul Razzak, who is taking up the case on behalf of the petitioner, told Express that he is being “pressured” to withdraw the case.  When Express contacted a top government official, he said that the government land can’t change hands. It is a case of cheating and action will be taken against those involved.

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