It has been more than a century now, but still the panchami lands meant for distribution to the Dalits elude them. During the late 1800s, civil servants like J. H. A. Tremenheere, the then Collector of Chengelpet, and the Christian Missionaries conducted a survey and found that Dalits were living in the most inhuman of conditions with high levels of oppression and submitted a memorandum to the British government to allot lands to the Dalits to improve their socio-economic condition.
The British government approved Tremenheere’s demand and enacted a law in British Parliament to distribute land to them to improve their socio-economic conditions. The Government of Madras passed the Government Orders 1010 and 1010A dated 30 September 1892 to specify that lands would be assigned to the depressed classes. Once the GO was published the panchami lands were reserved and a few were assigned.
It was estimated that a total of 3.20 lakh acres had been gifted to the Dalits by the British Government in all the districts of Tamil Nadu. But, according to S. Karuppiah of Dalit Liberation Movement, lands meant for distribution for Dalits had been encroached upon by landlords and members of dominant castes. It is alleged that even the State has “usurped” the lands and has structures built upon them. Mr. Karuppiah, in his letter addressed to the Chairperson, National Commission for Scheduled Castes, has given the details of the lands that have been allegedly encroached upon. A letter has also been sent to the Chief Minister. The alleged encroachments are Government Primary School in Thenkarai village near Sholavandan in Vadipatti taluk, Madurai district (Survey No: 365/4C2); a non-governmental organisation has its office at Palamedu village, Vadipatti taluk (Survey No is 189/2).
In Tiruvannamalai district, the encroachments include a bus stop at Malamanjanoor, Thandrampet taluk (Survey No is 282/3A1). A Primary Health Centre in the same taluk is functioning on panchami land and is registered in the name of Director, Health Department.
In Tirupur district, it is alleged that a multi-storeyed building is built on encroached panchami land which comes under Tirupur Municipality Ward No.27, Anaimedu Petchiapuram (Survey No: 749). In Pandakappatti village of Perambalur district, panchami land meant to be distributed for Dalits has been allegedly converted into a pond. At Vazhikandapuram village, an NGO has its office on panchami land. Two cement factories are said to be built in the Nagamangalam revenue division.
In Karur district, a cement factory is alleged to have been built on panchami land at Devar Malai near Puliyur village. In Dindigul district’s Oddanchatram taluk, Survey Nos 227, 228 and 229, covering 25 acres, are alleged to have been encroached by a spinning mill at Kallimanthaiyam. In Devadanapatti village of Periyakulam taluk in Theni district, the movement alleges that a firing range of police is on panchami land.
Government has clearly stipulated that these lands can never be transferred to non-panchamas.
