For nearly four decades, a promise of land made to a vulnerable tribal community in coastal Karnataka remains only partially fulfilled, leaving families in a state of limbo and unable to improve their living conditions. Thirty-one families belonging to the Koraga community, classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), are at the centre of a protracted land rights battle in Mangaluru.
A Promise Made, A Promise Broken
In 1986, the state government sanctioned residential sites of five cents each for these 31 Koraga families at Madyapadavu in Surathkal. However, when the Records of Rights, Tenancy and Crops (RTC) – the crucial title deeds – were eventually issued, they were only for 1.3 cents per family. This significant shortfall has had severe practical consequences, as the families are legally restricted from repairing their existing dilapidated houses or constructing new ones on the undersized plots.
Complicating the matter further, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) reissued sites to the same families in 2003, but the title deeds again reflected the incorrect, smaller measurement of 1.3 cents. This administrative error has persisted across decades.
Decades of Appeals and Unkept Promises
Frustrated by the inaction, the Karnataka Adivasigala Hakkugala Samanvaya Samiti, an organisation advocating for tribal rights, has taken up the cause. On April 15, 2025, the samiti submitted a detailed memorandum to the MCC and the revenue department, outlining the historical injustice and demanding the correction of the land records to reflect the originally sanctioned five cents.
With no resolution forthcoming, the samiti escalated the matter. An appeal was made to the district administration on May 8, 2025. While Deputy Commissioner Darshan H.V. reportedly instructed officials to take necessary action, no concrete steps were taken on the ground, according to samiti representatives.
Padmanabh, president of the samiti, and secretary Jyothi Madya confirmed that the issues remain unsolved despite these high-level appeals. Highlighting the community's desperation, Kariya K, the samiti's Vamanjoor zone president, stated plainly, "We will hold a protest in front of the MCC office if this issue is not resolved within two months."
A Community Harassed, A Demand for Justice
Shrinath Kulal Katipalla, honorary adviser of the samiti, accused officials of systematically depriving the Koraga community of their rightful benefits. He emphasised that the families have faced harassment for over two decades. "The officials deprived Koraga community members of availing their rightful benefits," Katipalla asserted, demanding immediate justice.
In a recent show of strength, the samiti held a protest in Surathkal. This action prompted officials from the revenue department to visit the Madyapadavu colony. Although the officials received the memorandum and promised to resolve the issue, the Koraga families continue to wait for action. Notably, some families had built houses using government scheme benefits, but their ownership remains legally precarious due to the defective title deeds.
The clock is now ticking on the two-month ultimatum. The community's fight for the full five cents of land – a promise 39 years old – is a stark reminder of the implementation gaps that often undermine welfare schemes for India's most marginalised groups.
