Rl^ts of the Vulnerable persistent monioring helped to mobilize the response of the State machinery, encourage a coordinated response from all the other principal groups involved, and ensure that aid reached the victans of the disaster, particularly those who were most defenceless. BASIC FACILITIES TO PLANTATION WORKERS IN TAMIL NADU 6.11 The Founder President, Pudhiya Tamilagam, met the Commission with a delegation of tea plantation labourers, and submitted a memorandum focussing on the plight of the workers ofthe Plantation ofthe Bombay-Burmah Trading Corporation at Ambassamudram Taluk, District Tirunelveli, which is popularly known as the 'Manjolai Tea Estate'. The Commission directed the DG(I) to visit the spot. The five-month old strike was called off upon the mediae on ofthe DG(I), and the management, labour leaders and the Government officers signed an agreement. The workers complained that the management had not fully complied with tie assurances given with regard to improving their living and working conditions. TheOommission also took suo motu cognizance (Case No. 465/22/99-2000) of a news item that appeared in 'Frontline' on 3 August 1999 captioned 'Tirunelveli Massacre'. It reported that 17 persons had lost their lives following attacks on a procession that had been td^en out in support of the labour struggle in the Manjolai Tea Estates. In response to a n«tice of the NHRC, the State Government indicated that it had set up a Commission of Inquiry to look into the incident, and that it had made a payment of Rs. 2 lakhs to eich of the families of those who had lost their lives. OTLOITATION CT TRIBALS BY LANDLORDS/MAFIA IN THE DISTRICTS OF MIRZAPUR, ALLAHABAD AND CHITRAKOOT IN UTTAR PRADESH 6.12 Pursuant to the directions of the Commission on a complaint received from Shri Anand Shtkhar Giri, President of Vindhya Kisan Parishad, Mirzapur, alleging the exploitation of sibals and schedule castes in the district of Mirzapm, UP, the DG(1) paid a visit to the ar;a and presented a detailed report to the Commission. It was stated in the complaint #iat though lands had been allotted under the law to landless persons, and the title had been transferred on paper, actual possession had been denied to the beneficiaries. They had also been deined the benefits and grants meant for them. Further, owing to illegal stone quarrying in the forest areas, irrepairable damage had been caused to he ecology of the area, threatening the lives and the future of the tribals living in the reg.on. 6.13 During tne course of the visit of the DG(I) to the affected area, a lai^e number of people belor ging to the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes asserted that though they had indeed been issued with the title deeds as beneficiary landless labourers, actual possession of tfe lands allotted to them had been denied. While some claimed that they 57