NILGIRIS: Residents of O-Valley town panchayat in Nilgiris district have announced a boycott of the Assembly election if the panchayat or district administration fails to lay a cement or bitumen road to their locality.
They said political representatives have been assuring them of road facilities during every election, but nothing has been done so far. Angry residents have placed banners stating they will boycott the election, and are hosting black flags in front of their houses condemning officials’ lethargy in providing even basic facilities.
"On the 1.5 km stretch between Mohan kadai and Priyadharshini ground, around 60 families have been residing for over four decades. However, there is no tar road and we have to walk on mud roads. During monsoons, the situation becomes worse as the roads are not motorable,” said a resident.
The residents questioned why the O-Valley town panchayat had laid tar and cement roads in areas such as Aarottuparai, Thiruvalluvar Nagar, Barwood, Ellamalai and Periyasholai, but not from Mohan kadai to Priyadharshini grounds, Mullai Nagar and Subash Nagar.
"Citing a Supreme Court, the executive officer of O-Valley town panchayat continues to deny permission to lay bitumen or cement roads. In fact, the Supreme Court had not termed residents as encroachers, but had referred to the estates as encroachers," said R Ranjith, coordinator of O-Valley Makkal Iyakkam.
The residents say they have been protesting by hosting black flags for the past one week. However, town panchayat officials are yet to initiate talks with them. They said the central and state government should ease the restrictions being imposed for the welfare of wildife.