Around 750 acres of Panchami land belonging to people from scheduled castes in Melur taluk were allegedly encroached by granite companies involved in quarrying scam, as per documents secured under Right to Information Act.
Most of these lands were occupied by PRP Exports, claimed S Karuppiah, state joint secretary of Dalit Liberation Movement, who got land records of Melur taluk invoking RTI clauses.
He said around 750 acres of Panchami land owned by people of scheduled castes living in Moorkapatti, Tharuvathavur, Kovailpatti, Thuvarankulam, Keelavalavu and Keelaiyur villages were encroached upon by the granite companies.
Editor-cum-publisher of Ezhuthu, V Alex, said Panchami land allocated to the depressed castes under Government Order No 1010/10-A (revenue) 1892, based on the report of the then Chengalpet Collector Tremen Heere, clearly stated that the beneficiaries were not entitled to sell the lands. The beneficiary was allowed only to transfer his land title to another of the same caste but selling it for monetary benefits was strictly prohibited, he pointed out.
However, violating the GO, PRP Exports occupied most of the Panchami land in Melur taluk, Karuppiah claimed.
In Sendalaipatti, PRP Exports bought 150 acres of Panchami land at `3,000 a cent from 37 scheduled castes families in the village. In Keeranur village, it started its granite polishing unit on 150 acres of the land, Karuppiah said. In Therkutheru village, it allegedly started a granite polishing unit on 77 acres of land, which was owned by a Dalit priest, Perumal. This land was donated to him during Rani Mangammal period as ‘Thoti Maniyam’, he said.
Madurai SP V Balakrishnan told Express that initial inquiries did point at encroachments by quarries. “We have formed a special team comprising an inspector from the social justice and human rights wing, a tahsildar and an official from the Adi Dravdiar Welfare department to conduct a detailed survey.”
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