quot;Hand over plots to Eksalidarsquot;

MUMBAI, December 1: Eksalidars, labourers and tribals who are given land on yearly basis in the Thane district are now declared owners of their respective plots, thanks to a direction from the Bombay High Court.

An NGO Shramik Mukti Sanghatana, working for tribals in Thane district, had filed a public interest petition seeking implementation of a GR which said all Eksalidars be declared owners of the plots they were cultivating for years. The resolution also stated these plots be deleted from the list of forest lands and be shown as revenue land.

The Ek Sali system started in 1950. With a view to empower tribals and grant them security, government decided to release the plots to the Ek Sali lease holders. But the decision was not implemented and a writ petition was filed in this connection. On February 13, 1987, HC ordered government to act in favour of Ek Sali lease holders. But government did not take appropriate steps, following which this petition was filed. The government claimed it needed time tomeasure plots while transferring ownership. The process of transfer has been started by the tehsildar after verifying revenue records.