As many as 181 Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) activists, including 71 women, were arrested on Wednesday when they held a demonstration in front of the Ariankuppam commune panchayat office protesting against the lack of basic amenities in Shanmugha Nagar on Wednesday.
Around 500 families were rehabilitated in Shanmugha Nagar following the gauge conversion work of the railways some 15 years ago. The families, mostly belonging to Dalits, were living in Rodiarpet, Vanarapet and Odianpet when the gauge conversion work was undertaken.
VCK convenor Paavanan said the 500 families, living along the railway lines were shifted to Shanmugha Nagar after promising them that they would be provided with drinking water and drainage facilities, but nothing has materialised so far. Paavanan said the people in the area were living in unhygienic conditions and no officials turned up to undertake any activities.
Angered over this, the VCK functionaries along with the rehabilitated families staged a demonstration in front of the Ariankuppam commune panchayat office. The VCK activists, who picketed the office, were arrested. Later they were released, but they refused to disperse and demanded that the officials give some kind of assurance that their grievances are looked into.
Following this, tahsildar Ramesh and Ariankuppam commune panchayat commissioner Munusamy along with the representatives of the residents inspected Shanmugha Nagar and assured them that they would be provided with required facilities by August. The agitators dispersed following the assurance.
‘Implement RTE Act’
A group of BJP workers, led by party state leader Visweswaran, staged a demonstration in front of the Education Department complex demanding implementation of Right to Education Act (RTE) 2009 in the Union Territory without any further delay. The protesters also urged the government to regularise the fee structure for the private schools in the UT. Visweswaran and a few party workers met Director of School Education, E Vallavan, who assured them that the RTE Act would be implemented in the UT shortly.
Meanwhile, at Ouppalam, the CPM functionaries, led by state secretary V Perumal and senior leader T Murugan held a demonstration demanding withdrawal of the power tariff hike in the Union Territory.