Chengara Samaram
The village is frequently mentioned in the media due to a land struggle, popularly known as "Chengara Samaram", which is led by Laha Gopalan. The Sadu Jana Vimochana Samara Vedi (SJVSV) agitation began with hundreds of Vedi workers encroaching upon the Kumbazha Estate of Harrison Malayalam Limited at Chengara on August 4, 2007, demanding five acres of land for farming and Rs.50,000 towards initial farming expenses to each landless family among them. They pitched tents on the occupied land and started tapping the rubber trees at the estate for livelihood. The Vedi leader claims that 200 hectares of land at Chengara is under SJVSV occupation. Really the land struggle is not taking place in Chengara, but in Harrisons Malayalam Estate more than 3 km away, which is popularly known as Chengara estate. So it got the name "Chengara Samaram". A fact is that it is taking place on the Athumpumkulam border of the Harrisons Malayalam Estate not in the border of Chengara.
Great personalities from different fields had visited the place during the Struggle. Prominent socio-political leaders, including Medha Patkar, Arundhati Roy, Govindacharaya, and V.M. Sudheeran, were among those who had visited Chengara extending solidarity with the families, during the period.
In fact the land struggle created a negative image about Chengara in the mind of the outside people.
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