Former MLA Arumugam demands Land Pattas for Residents of Jothipuram

Residents of Jothipuram near Periyanaickenpalayam have been demanding the state government to provide pattas for their land for the past 70 years. In support of them, former MLA and state treasure of CPI M Arumugam has petitioned the district collector GS Sameeran urging him to take immediate steps to provide land pattas to them. 

Even though they have filed numerous petitions and even petitioned the chief minister MK Stalin under the ‘Ungal Thoguthiyil Stalin’ scheme. But nothing has changed on the ground.The petition said, “People have been residing at the land with SF number 402 in Jothipuram near Periyanaickenpalayam for the past 70 years. We have submitted numerous petitions to the state government. 

After we petitioned the chief minister cell in 2000, officials had taken steps to convert the land into nattam land and then give pattas for it. Tahsildars, revenue divisional officers, district revenue officers and highway officials have inspected the land and submitted their recommendations. But, still, we have not received the land pattas.”

The petition further said that the residents had approached the Madras High Court seeking its intervention and the court in turn had directed the government to issue patta within 12 weeks. But the government had not acted on the court directions. Sometime ago, the highway officials have directed us to clear three metres from the road and we have obeyed their orders, the petition said, adding that now the officials have been asking them to remove encroachments for another 30 metres and refusing to accept their arguments even after showing documents. 

So, we seek the intervention of the district collector to provide us the land pattas and to prevent the highways department from demolishing our houses for another 30 metres, the petition added.