Thousands of families in Kottayam’s eastern high ranges continue to wait for title deeds, as legal and administrative hurdles delay the process of granting land ownership rights.
Around 10,000 families awaiting pattayams under the Hillmen Settlement scheme in Kanjirappally taluk remain in uncertainty, while residents of Pampa Valley and Angel Valley are demanding the exclusion of their areas from the Periyar Tiger Reserve.
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More than 1,000 families in Alapra, Nedumpuram, Chathuppu and Valakody Chathuppu have been living on 254 acres of land for over a century without title deeds, despite the settlements lying outside the forest. Hopes of receiving pattayams following the digital survey have been dashed after the Forest Department claimed the land was part of a reserve forest and insisted on prior approval before further action.
The Revenue Department has sought legal advice on the Forest Department’s objection, putting the title deeds of around 10,000 families on hold. Residents say the lack of pattayams prevents many from accessing benefits, including financial assistance under the PM-KISAN scheme, while forest restrictions also limit their ability to cut trees on their own plots.
Meanwhile, residents of Pampa Valley and Angel Valley in Erumeli panchayat have been fighting for four years to have their areas, covering around 500 hectares, excluded from the Periyar Tiger Reserve. The Forest Department has identified land in the Goodrickal range in Pathanamthitta to compensate for the area proposed for exclusion. A sustainable development plan for both valleys is also required, adding to the procedural hurdles.
Residents and protest leaders are now looking to Revenue Minister A P Anil Kumar, who is scheduled to visit the district on Friday, to intervene. They have urged the government and the Revenue and Forest departments to take coordinated action and resolve the long-pending issues to secure land rights for thousands of families.
