TIRUPPUR: After decades of waiting, around 30 Narikoravar families have got pattas for building houses at Ammapatti in Dharapuram. Speaking to TNIE, M Soundarya, a beneficiary said, “We are living in a makeshift shelter at Chitharavuthanpalayam in Dharapuram for several decades.
After my father’s death, I discontinued studies after Class 10 and started selling beads, bangles, Bindis etc for livelihood. However, the income was barely enough to feed a family and couldn’t afford a house. The situation didn’t improve even after my marriage. Fortunately, we received pattas in Ammapatti for 1.75 cents of land and we will be building our own houses.”
Another beneficiary L Pandiyan (28) said, “My grandfather settled in Dharapuram in the 1950s and used to hunt foxes, quails and rabbits. After the government banned hunting, we started to make a living by making and selling small crafts such as bangles and bead malas and we moved from one place to another for survival. However, things are changing. Government officials and social activists stressed the importance of education and we needed a permanent residence for this. So, we requested patta. But officials delayed it for several years. Finally, we got them and we are very happy about it.”
Speaking to TNIE, an official from Tiruppur District Administration said, “We don’t know why there was so much delay in issuing patta. The nomadic lifestyle of Narikoravor community could be the reason. Field studies by revenue officials concluded that several families belonging to the Narikoravar community have been scattered in many parts of Dharapuram and Kangeyam for more than 70 years.
Around 10 families from Narikoravar communities received patta in 1996. But, another group of about 50 families of Narikoravar in the same location, didn’t get patta and they moved to Kangeyam and later moved back to Dharapuram. Two months ago, we organised a camp to offer community certificates and collect information about their nativity. Based on this information, we offered patta to 30 families of Narikoravar communities in Ammapatti in Dharapuram. Around 27 more families will be getting patta in the second phase.”