A recent order from Tamil Nadu’s Commissioner of Land Administration (CLA) has observed that authorities involved in the Updating the Registry (UDR) scheme have “no powers” to alter the classification, boundaries and extent, among other details, of government land. It has also said that there were no rules or statutes to convert highly objectionable and ecologically sensitive lands like ‘Kazhuveli’ or backwaters into private patta lands.
The CLA’s observations were made in an order dated December 1, 2023 that rejected the claims of individuals, over lands measuring up to 480 acres in Karunguzhipallam village, Tiruporur Taluk in Chengalpattu district.
The order cited revenue records that said these suit lands were originally classified as ‘Sarkar Poramboke’ as early as 1911 and later as per the Revision Survey and Resettlement (RSR) ‘A’ register, they were classified as ‘Government Poramboke-Kazhuveli’. It said that subsequently, these lands were purchased by the interested persons/present petitioners without having valid documents and no linkage documents to prove their title towards their claim.
