The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has sent a notice to Tiruppur Collector S. Vineeth seeking a response regarding the alleged blocking of pathway for a patta land provided to people from the Scheduled Castes community near Avinashi for over 15 years.
The notice was based on a letter addressed to the NCSC by K. Kandasamy, a resident of Kalipalayam village in Avinashi taluk, who wrote on behalf of the beneficiaries. In his letter dated January 18, he claimed that the State government provided free house site patta in 2006 to some people belonging to the Scheduled Castes. However, “a few people” have blocked the pathway, did not allow land survey and discriminating on the basis of caste.
In its notice dated January 27, the NCSC directed the Collector “to submit the facts and information and the action taken on the allegation/matters” within 15 days of receiving the notice.
Mr. Kandasamy told The Hindu on Sunday the patta land, spread over two acres, continued to remain unused after over 15 years in Kalipalayam village. The 35 beneficiaries from the Scheduled Castes, to whom the house site pattas were issued, stayed at an Adi Dravidar colony in the vicinity in either rented houses or in the house of their relatives, he claimed. “They must either be allowed to use the patta land or the government must provide pattas for an alternative land,” he said.
Sources in the district administration said negotiations with the parties concerned were under way to ensure access to the patta land. No encroachments have been found on the land yet, according to the sources.
