THOOTHUKUDI: On behalf of the Kovilpatti traders, the Tamil Perarasu Katchi cadre presented a petition to the photograph of a donkey condemning the inaction of government officials towards implementing the court and Kovilpatti panchayat union orders to shut down the illegal private market being operated at Thittankulam in the outskirts of Kovilpatti.
District secretary of the outfit Velmurugan headed the agitation in front of the ESI dispensary in Kovilpatti. Advocate Saravanan, secretary, the advocate wing of Tamil Perarasu Katchi served the petitions to the photo of a donkey as a mark of condemnation.
The petition said that as many as 27 persons had jointly begun a private market at Thittankulam village without any permission from the authorities concerned and defying the Thittankulam village panchayat resolution against operations of the market.
"The Thittankulam Village Administrative Officer, Revenue Inspector and Kovilpatti zonal deputy tahsildar, and the tahsildar proceeded to the subdivision of the land and issued the patta without field inspection. The privateers closed the geographical flow of a watercourse that meanders through the market area, and also levelled three wells," the petition said, adding that the vegetable market operators did not follow the regulations prescribed in the Tamil Nadu Panchayats (Opening and Maintenance of Market) Rules' 2000.
Though the Kovilpatti union had ordered the privateers to shut down the unlawful market on April 22, the market is still intact as the Kovilpatti block development officer remains a mute spectator despite a closure order issued by the Madurai Bench of the Madurai High Court, the protestors alleged.
Condemning the BDO, the Tamil Perarasu Katchi cadre submitted the petition to the photograph of a donkey during a demonstration held in front of the ESI dispensary at Kovilpatti.