: Discontent is brewing among tribal farmers in Nellarachal in Wayanad district over the alleged negligence on the part of the government in providing compensation for their land that had been submerged in the Karapuzha reservoir.
Janaki, 80, of Nellarachal Mullakuruma tribal hamlet, said the government had acquired 4.5 acre of paddy cultivating pattaya land for the project in 1977, but her family was yet to get any compensation. The Revenue Department had acquired the land nearly four decades ago and had promised her, Narayanan Moopan, that compensation and land equal to the size of the acquired land would be provided to them in a year.
Narayana Mooppan, former chieftain of the hamlet who died last year, had submitted petitions to the authorities, but it was yet to be considered, she added.
The government had acquired more than 100 acres of paddy cultivating land for the construction of a reservoir of the project.
According to a list published by the Revenue Department, as many as 218 tribesmen at Nellarachal area had been evicted from their land for the project. However, only 82 families were provided 75 cents of land each and a housing project at Koyilamkunnu, said N.K. Ramanathan, a tribal activist.
A few months ago, the government had disbursed land rights of 75 cents each to 42 families at Cheepramkunnu, but the land was yet to be identified, he added.
Now Revenue officials say they are unable to identify the legal heirs of the remaining tribal families who are yet to get any incentives, he said. If the officials conducted an adalat, the legal heirs could appear before the officials, Mr. Ramanathan said.
This apart, 500 families in the Mullakuruma, Paniya, Kattunayakka, and Ooraly tribes were yet to get any assistance from the government as they had no deeds to prove their rights on the land.
