6 months ago
2
Living successful a thatched hut connected her restored onshore astatine Sengodi (Red flag) colony adjacent Kothattai successful Cuddalore district, P. Chandrakala, an Irula woman, dreamed of owning a location immoderate day. She had been surviving successful a makeshift location with her household for the past 11 years.
When Chandrakala and a fewer different families from the Irula assemblage were allotted location tract pattas by the State authorities nether a lodging strategy successful 2014, she was inactive acold from realising her dream. The families had been warring for their alienated onshore (1.25 acres) aft neighbours from a astir backward people assemblage allegedly usurped it, successful blatant usurpation of each laws.
Their plight came to airy lone during the COVID-19 pandemic, erstwhile members of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) visited Sengodi colony (then known arsenic Vaickalmedu) to administer alleviation materials. After a sustained struggle, the families reclaimed their onshore and built houses connected it.
Though Sengodi colony has implicit 11 Irula families, lone four, including Chandrakala’s, person built houses connected their reclaimed land. The remaining families proceed to beryllium successful the single-minded pursuit of the allotment of location tract pattas.
Long struggle
According to S.G. Ramesh Babu, CPI(M) State committee member: “The struggle, which led to the lodging initiative, began successful 2021. As galore arsenic 7 families were allotted houses nether the Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY) by the past territory medication successful 2014. Though the Irula families were allotted 3 cents of onshore each, the houses were built connected the adjacent broadside of a canal classified arsenic eri poramboke alternatively of the onshore primitively earmarked for them. But the families proceed to endure for nary responsibility of theirs.”
“The 7 houses, built connected eri poramboke, are successful a dilapidated condition, posing a menace to the families. The basal origin of the occupation was the operation of houses connected this land. When the CPI(M) approached the authorities with a connection for the operation of houses for the 11 families, we encountered opposition,” Mr. Ramesh Babu said.
Officials claimed that the 7 families had already been allotted houses nether the IAY strategy and would not beryllium eligible. The onshore that was primitively allotted to them was besides usurped by their neighbours.
The families, on with the CPI (M), waged a long, drawn-out conflict to reclaim their land, which they yet succeeded successful doing aft sustained protests.
A hold ahead
The connection for lodging was sanctioned by past Project Director of District Rural Development Agency successful March 2024. Four families person present built their ain houses nether the Comprehensive Tribal Development Programme (CTDP), portion the remainder proceed to hold for the realisation of their dream.
A emblematic location portion costs ₹4.62 lakh and is astir 300 sq.ft. Four families person present moved into their houses. The inauguration was held connected June 22, 2025.
Ranjitha and Durga, who enactment with the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS), thought that they would walk the remainder of their lives successful the thatched hut connected their land.
“It is simply a imagination travel true. Sengodi colony has present 25 families and astir of them pb a hand-to-mouth beingness doing unusual jobs to eke retired their livelihood. We lone anticipation that the remainder of the 7 families besides get location sites and pattas,” Ms. Ranjitha said.
According to Mr. Ramesh Babu, Cuddalore territory has galore specified cases, including affordable lodging and issues related to assemblage certificates, to enactment upon. However, authorities are delaying the process. The medication should instantly intervene and guarantee that their demands are met.
