Not able to own land allocated in 2018, transpersons take to protest

The transpersons who live in Natarajapuram village in Pukkathurai were allotted 2.75 cents each in Puthirankottai village in Cheyyur taluk and were given documents on August 15, 2018, by the then Kancheepuram Collector.

However, since the locals opposed to land allocation and turned violent when transgenders visited the village, the officials did not proceed with the plan. While the transgenders kept submitting petitions, their hope receded after the district was bifurcated.

“At least the Kancheepuram Collector was cordial as he was the one who allocated the land. The Chengalpattu Collector (John Louis) is hesitant to even meet us despite our repeated efforts. So, we decided to return the patta and visited the Collectorate on Monday,” said Satyashri Sharmila, one of the beneficiaries who claims to be the first transgender lawyer in India.

Satyashri said the Collector refused to meet them after which they were asked to meet the Revenue Divisional Officer. “We insisted that RDO visit us as we do not have the means to travel due to lockdown after which the RDO spoke to us over phone. Then, the Deputy Tahsildar visited us and assured the issue will be sorted within a week and that the land will be measured and the plots demarcated for all 50 of us,” said Satyashri.

The transpersons have decided to lay siege to the Collectorate next week if the promise is not met.