In Coimbatore, landowner's daughter petitions District Collector against Isha Foundation's alleged occupation of tribal land, demanding it be restored to the indigenous inhabitants.
Coimbatore: A recent petition has brought to light a contentious issue involving the alleged occupation of tribal land by Isha Foundation in Semmedu, Coimbatore. The daughter of Muthuswamy Gounder, Vijayakumari, lodged the complaint at the district office on June 24, citing the unauthorized occupation of 44.3 acres of land originally earmarked for indigenous people.
In the 1990s, Muthuswamy Gounder had entrusted this land to the government with the intention that it would be given to the local tribal community. However, according to the petitioner, Isha Foundation now occupies this land, deviating from its intended purpose to serve the tribal people.
Vijayakumari claims that all original documents proving their ownership and the intended use for the tribal community are in her possession. The family insists that the construction undertaken by Isha Foundation, including an electric fence near Kulatheri tribal village and an electric crematorium, does not serve the needs of the tribal people, who traditionally practice burial.
The petitioners are urging the removal of the electric fence and argue that the electric crematorium is unnecessary for their burial customs. The case highlights the ongoing struggle for land rights among indigenous populations and raises vital questions about the maintenance of tribal heritage and land use in Coimbatore.