MADURAI: National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) on Monday issued a notice to the Secretary of the government, Revenue and Disaster Management Department, for non-implementation of its 2004 circular for the identification of Panchami land during jamabandi proceedings.
Dalit Liberation Movement President S Karuppaiah said the then director of NCSC, Kannegi Packianathan, issued a circular to all district collectors to identify the private individuals occupying Panchami land or Adi Dravidar land, and deputy tahsildars can take appropriate action against them under the SC/ST Act.
But the important circular hasn’t been implemented for the past 22 years. He also said that all panchami land records, including the survey number and land segment of the village, should be on the notice boards of the taluk office and VAO offices, but these haven’t been done so far.
Speaking to TNIE, Dr S Ravivarman, Director of NCSC, said the lack of implementation is a complete surprise. Revenue officials can determine whether the individual occupying the land is its legitimate owner or an encroacher.
If it turns out that the land in question is panchami land and occupied by an encroacher, swift action could have been taken against them.
He also added that he has requested senior officials to organise orientation programmes for the department since the jamabandi process is set to commence in all districts within a few weeks.