THOOTHUKUDI: People of Chidambarampatti village have demanded a probe into the illegal removal of valuable teak wood from the dilapidated building of a 65-year-old panchayat union primary school, and sought necessary action against those who took possession of the wood unlawfully.
According to the complainant, P Thangaraj of Chidambarampatti, former panchayat president Janaki Ramasamy had illegally removed 52 wooden logs and three large iron beams from the old building of the primary school. Ramasamy had allegedly used these woods for the construction of a house. The matter requires proper investigation as the material was removed without a government order, he said.
Sources said although the students were shifted to a new building after the old building was damaged, the public sought to renovate the structure for the benefit of the children of the school, which falls under the control of the Block Development Officer (BDO).
When a complaint was lodged with the chief minister's special grievance cell, a communication was forwarded to the Nalattinputhur police station for an inquiry. In a response to the police, BDO Pandiyarajan said that the roof of the building came crashing down during the 2023 rains, and the materials were taken into the control of the then panchayat president. Over 16 teak woods and two iron beams have been recovered, he said.
However, the petitioner alleged that the former president had returned only 16 wooden logs, and there are no details about the unrecovered woods. The school should be restored so that the children can benefit from all the facilities, he said.