KANHANGAD: They have been paying tax for their land for the past five years, but the only glitch is they do not know where it is. The previous UDF government gave three cents each to 716 families in the rocky terrain of Cheemeni village under the Zero Landless Scheme. Five years down the lane, they continue to remain landless.
Officials in Cheemeni Village said the beneficiaries are from far-flung areas such as Kasaragod, Thalangara, Mogral Puthur and Perla and also from neighbourhood such as Trikaripur and Padna.
“Every month I get calls from a few beneficiaries asking for the status of their land. But I’ve no answer,” said an official.
Though the government gave title deeds to the beneficiaries, the plots were not demarcated and assigned to them, said the official.The government set aside around 1,000 acres near the IHRD College in Cheemeni village for the Zero Landless Scheme.
In the first phase, 56 families were given land. The plots were demarcated and assigned to each beneficiary. In the second phase, 716 persons were given land only on paper.
“Only two families who got land in the first phase have built homes in their assigned land. The houses have come up just one year ago,” said an official.
They came because both the families are from Cheemeni. The other beneficiaries are reluctant because they are mostly from coastal areas and find the rocky terrain inhabitable.
10 families submit applications
At least 10 families have submitted applications saying they want land in their own village. Village officials said the land had to be demarcated by the Survey Department. “We’ve written to the Survey Department, but they are busy with the resurvey. This is not a priority,” he said.