Southern States - Kerala   

Nelliampathy tribal land issue resolved

By Our Staff Reporter

PALAKKAD MAY 10. The explosive situation in Nelliampathy which was ticking like another time bomb ever since the tribals occupied the Government Orange Farm in January and which was threatening to develop into another Muthanga was defused today.

It followed the Agriculture Department's decision to assign the 150 acres of occupied land to the tribal families in Nelliampathy.

With that, the tribal drama, which was being enacted there and which was fast hurtling towards an eventful climax, has ended in a tame but welcome anti-climax.

The delay in allotting the land in Nelliampathy, available with the Government, had created doubts among the tribals about the former's sincerity in fulfilling its promise of land to all landless tribals. The decision is expected to give a big boost to the Antony Government which has been facing nation-wide criticism for its handling of the Muthanga tribal land issue.

The Agriculture Department, which owns the 800-acre Nelliampathy Orange Farm set up during the British rule, has sent its proposal agreeing to set apart 150 acres of the Pullumedu area, now under the occupation of the 150 landless tribal families.

The Director of Agriculture, K. R. Joyothylal, who visited the Orange Farm along with district officials today, told The Hindu that the Agriculture Department had sent its proposal to the State Government. With this, each landless tribal family now living in the occupied farm would get one acre each. The Revenue Department would decide the eligibility for land after the Government gave its final approval to the proposal, Mr. Jyothylal said.

The Government had tried to evict the tribals on a number of times, but the latter were determined not to leave the place.

Several rounds of discussions were held during the last four months between the tribal head of Nelliampathy, Bhagavathy Moopan, and Government representatives, but the tribals stoutly rejected the plea to vacate the land. In fact, at one point of time, the Government had rushed a police force from the Armed Reserve Police camp in Palakkad to get the tribals evicted, but the police detracted from the move fearing bloodbath.

With the tribals getting restless, there were fears that another Muthanga is in the offing. But unlike the Muthanga agitation, the Nelliampathy stir was peaceful.

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