‘Lands usurped by unscrupulous elements’ : farmers

A.Venugopal, president of Tamilaga Vivasayigal Sangham who raked up the issue, alleged that at least 600 acres had been usurped by such elements

A number of farmers of the district dropped a bombshell at the agriculturists’ grievances meeting here recently alleging that a large extent of land belonging to various farmers has been methodically “usurped” by unscrupulous elements fabricating false documents.

“They are being abetted by unscrupulous officials,” they alleged. They wanted all such transactions cancelled after due inquiry.

A.Venugopal, president of Tamilaga Vivasayigal Sangham, Perambalur and Ariyalur districts, who raked up the issue, alleged that at least 600 acres had been usurped by such elements, which not only fabricated false documents, but also registered the same in the name of some persons living far away from the district. He mentioned a number of villages that have suffered this atrocity including Kaikalathur, Kariyanur and Padhangi in Veppanthattai union. He even mentioned a person who is said to be instrumental in this racket and a number of officials, including from the registration department, involved in this.

Mr.Venugopal, who produced two computerised documents, said it is the computerised chitta which has been exploited for this type of forgery.

A.Raju from Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangham, who endorsed the allegations of Mr.Venugopal, lamented that a woman, who had four acres, when duped like this, was about to commit suicide.

M.A.Subramanian, DRO, denied any wrongdoing on the part of revenue officials in this regard. At the same time, he said the aggrieved farmers could approach the land grab cell, a special wing in the office of the Superintendent of Police, to lodge their complaints. The farmers continued to plead that whenever there was an application for name change in the chitta, it should be inquired into with utmost caution.

Meanwhile, Raja Chidambaram, State general secretary of Tamilaga Vivasayigal Sangham, told The Hindu over phone that he had taken up this issue with the State government almost four years ago, and had brought to its notice that similar “bogus” transactions had taken place in villages like B.K.Agaram, Nambakurichi, Peruvilapur, Siruvilapur and Oottathur in Pullampadi union.