Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan has informed the Madras High Court Bench here that a high-level committee constituted by the government to identify, survey and restore Panchami lands that were in occupation of non-Panchamars had submitted an interim report stating that out of 31,462 assignments for a total of 55,970.99 acres, 10,077 cases of violation of assignment conditions amounting to 16,378.69 acres had been reported in 20 districts.
In an affidavit filed before a Division Bench of Justices A. Selvam and N. Authinathan who were seized of public interest litigation petition for restoration of Panchami lands, Ms. Vaidyanathan said the committee had also found that out of the 82,716 assignments made with respect to 1,01,947.3 acres under another scheme for depressed classes, 19,428 cases of breach of conditions totalling to 26,957.13 acres had been reported.
According to the Chief Secretary, the committee, initially headed by the Commissioner of Land Administration since October 2015, was reconstituted on May 24 this year.
The reconstituted committee comprising the Adi Dravidar Welfare Secretary, Commissioner of Land Administration and the Revenue Secretary conducted its first meeting on May 29 and submitted an interim report to the government with various particulars.
As per the report, violation of land assignment conditions had been reported even with respect to lands acquired by Adi Dravidar Welfare Department and assigned to the Dalits.
