ERODE: TN Housing and Urban Development Minister S Muthusamy said on Tuesday that the state government will take steps to resolve the issue with conditional pattas on agricultural lands at Anthiyur in the district.
Sources said 1,623 agricultural lands have had conditional pattas for many years in the villages of Anthiyur, Athani, Ennamangalam, Bargur, Michaelpalayam, Sankarapalayam, Mathur, Vellithiruppur, Chennampatti, Komarayanur, and Papathikattu Pudur under Anthiyur taluk in the district. Farmers have been fighting against this for a long time, demanding that the conditions of these patta be removed and the new unconditional pattas be issued instead.
On Monday, over 1,000 farmers had gathered at the Anthiyur taluk office for a sit-in protest. Speaking to protesters, Muthusamy invited them to talks on Tuesday, following which the farmers abandoned the protest. A meeting was held at the district collectorate on Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the minister said, "Farmers from various villages in Anthiyur have been using certain lands on a conditional patta basis for over 70 years. Concerned farmers are demanding that the conditions on the patta be removed. This matter has already come to our attention, and we have brought it to the attention of the chief minister. He has also instructed relevant department officials to take necessary steps in this regard."
"As farmers have shared their grievances with us, we are going forward them to the CM. The government will take appropriate steps. It includes about 3,500 acres of land in Anthiyur alone. Action will be taken as per prior court orders and legal provisions in this matter, so that no farmer is affected. This issue also exists in some other parts of the district as well,'' he added.