MANUAL OF THE NILAGIRI DISTRICT. 



317 



purposes consisted only of deep forest or tracts which no man CHAP. Xlii. 

 cared to claim for agricultural purposes, or which had never been PART i. 

 cleared for cultivation. Revenue 



Such was the shifting system — a system dear to the people, but History. 

 inimical to agricultural progress. Its abolition was a necessity ; 

 but the way in which it was to have been carried into effect— had 

 not a lenient system of demarcation or practically, though not 

 technically, of revenue settlement prevailed — would undoubtedly 

 have proved a violent and unexampled invasion of the rights and 

 privileges of the hill cultivators. 



The two other accidents of the Coimbatore agricultural system " Ain " grass 

 which were alleged to be abuses were that known as the " ain " puttaf.'^^'"^ 

 grass and that of " grazing '' puttas. As regards *'ain " grass, 

 it had been the usage of Coimbatore to permit the ryot to retain 

 in his possession under this name a certain portion of his holding 

 as fallow at one-fourth the original assessment. The extent thus 

 held was not to exceed one-fifth of his regular holding. The 

 grazing puttas were granted for inferior lands, known as " Parava- 

 pillu vari," to be retained as pasture at one-quarter the ordinary 

 assessment until such land was required for cultivation by himself 

 or another ryot. The evil complained of, in regard to the former, 

 was that a ryot was practically at liberty to select any portion 

 of his nominal holding as fallow, and thus defeat a selector in his 

 desire to obtain land in his neighbourhood ; as regards the latter, 

 that it gave a preferential right to the occupier. The evils 

 complained of in all these cases were, in the main, due to the 

 absence of a definitive survey and settlement. 



When the alleged grievances were first discussed by the Board The Revenue 

 of Revenue, they recommended, as regards the " Bhurty " posals. 

 system, that it should practically cease, on the principle 

 prevailing in the plains that when a ryot fails to pay his 

 assessment, having no grounds for remission, his right to the 

 land lapses ; consequently, when a hill ryot " shifted " his 

 cultivation, he was to be regarded as having relinquished his 

 land, which accordingly was to be available for the first appli- 

 cant to whom the Collector at his discretion might transfer 

 it. So long as he cultivated or paid his assessment he might 

 sell at his pleasure. In suggesting this radical measure they 

 argued that — 



" So long as unoccupied land is abundant there is no objection 

 to the Burgher " shifting " his cultivation as much as he pleases, but 

 he cannot naturally claim a right to all the land which in a series 

 of years he has thus occasionally cultivated ; still less can Govern- 

 ment, in justice to the general community, admit such a right. Now 

 that land required on the Hills by European settlers for agricultural 

 purposes is invariably sold by auction, subject to an unvarying annual 



