MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the High Court on Friday directed the Dindigul district Collector to rehabilitate 40 families of tribals ousted from their homes in the hilly terrains of Kodaikanal by providing them houses and other facilities.
Forty petitioners, including Rani of Kurumparayur in Kodaikanal taluk, in a petition before the Bench had said that they have been living for three generations at a place called Annakundu in Kodaikanal. Some private individuals usurped their land and had driven them out of their houses.
They had been earning their livelihood by collecting and selling wild products, including honey and yams. But they have been deprived of even this livelihood. They had explained their plight to the Chief Minister and the district administration but there was no response. They have prayed for a directive under the Protection of Tribals Act to grant them rehabilitation and other assistance.
Their petitions came up for hearing before a Division Bench comprising Justices R Bhanumathi and S Nagamuthu when the Kodaikanal tahsildar filed a counter petition saying that 15 of the affected persons are to be given 40 cents of land to be divided among them and that land would be provided to others in due course.
The Bench which took note of this averment, directed the other 25 petitioners to make representations to the District Collector who was ordered to take action under the Protection of Tribals Act and arrange for their rehabilitation.