Govt land encroachment causes tension

Kancheepuram, Apr 22 (UNI) Tension prevailed at Padappai panchayat union in this district when over 500 villagers encroached upon a Government land and demanded house site pattas.

Police sources said the over 1,000 landless families residing at Kattu Colony, Keezhpadappai and Murugathammanpettai have been demanding for long that the Government allot them land for constructing houses from the over ten-acre plot at Periyar Nagar in the area. However, their plea only fell on deaf ears.

Meanwhile, one person had encroached upon a portion of the land by putting up a thatched shed and managed to get patta for the same.

When the news spread, the irate villagers rushed to the spot and encroached two cents of land per head.

The Forest department, which had taken the land on lease, warned the villagers against damaging or cutting the trees planted by it.

District Revenue officials tried to pacify the villagers, but the latter remained firm in their stand.

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