301 Colony residents propose 10 recommendations for tribal settlement development
A tribal council meeting in Chinnakkanal panchayat outlined priorities for housing, infrastructure, and human-wildlife conflict mitigation.
Residents of 301 Colony in Chinnakkanal panchayat near Munnar held a tribal council meeting (Ooru Koottam) on November 3 to propose ten recommendations for the settlement's development. According to The Hindu, the meeting included the Adimaly Tribal Development Officer and the site in-charge of the Tribal Rehabilitation and Development Mission (TRDM).
The council proposed several infrastructure projects, including a modern community hall-cum-library, a model preschool, and cluster housing. Residents requested protective fencing and trenches to deter wild elephant intrusions in the area, which is prone to such attacks.
The meeting urged the Scheduled Tribes Development department to provide electricity, paved roads, drinking water, walkways, and retaining walls. The council also requested the renovation of dilapidated houses through relevant department schemes.
Regarding land, the council called for the cancellation of title deeds (pattayams) for allottees who have not occupied their plots so land can be reallocated to landless families. Beneficiaries who leased out their plots were instructed to terminate agreements and reclaim their land for farming.
The Tribal Development Officer stated that registration procedures for a proposed agricultural cooperative society would begin once a 15-member committee of beneficiaries is elected. The officer also warned that those who do not reclaim leased plots to cultivate and reside on them face deed cancellations.
Officials reported that 211 of the 301 families have settled in the colony, while 90 families have been unable to build homes due to hardships. The land was allotted to 301 families in 2002–03, but the area lies within a natural elephant corridor.