SALEM: Amid the growing chorus to bifurcate Salem and create a district with Attur as headquarters, the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) has made a pitch for Mettur as the new district.
For the past 10 years, various sections of people and political parties have been urging the government to make Attur, which is 50 km away from Salem, as a new district. When AIADMK joint coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami became Chief Minister in 2017, speculation was rife that he would bifurcate Salem district and create a separate district with Edappadi as headquarters.
On the other hand, parties like Kongu Nadu Makkal Desiya Katchi (KMDK), ant ally of the DMK, passed resolutions favouring Attur. After the DMK formed the government, KMDK leader E R Eswaran MLA made a representation to municipal administration minister KN Nehru about the demand. The minister reportedly assured him to raise the issue with Chief Minister M K Stalin.
In a twist, while taking part in a function attended by chief minister M K Stalin in Salem on December 11, Mettur MLA of PMK S Sadasivam urged him to carve out Mettur as new district. This surprised many as even people in that region did not place such a demand with the government.
Speaking to TNIE, BJP Salem west district observer (which covers Mettur) R P Gopinath said, "We do not know why Sadasivam made such a demand. Mettur is situated close the to Karnataka border and creating it as a separate district is not feasible. Moreover, the people of that area did not place such demand in the past. Attur is the popular choice as people from Thalaivasal block have to travel more than 70 km to reach the Collectorate. "
Senior AIADMK leader and former Mettur MLA S Semmalai said, "If a new district is created, it should be the centre place for the existing district. Attur is the better choice for a separate district. Mettur is situated in the remote end of the district and it is not feasible for administration. Edapaddi can be made as a district only if the government trifurcates Salem, and annexes some areas in the border with Erode and Namakkal districts, but I don't think that will happen. The PMK MLA may like to have Mettur as a separate district but Attur stands a better chance of becoming one. "
Mettur MLA S Sadasivam did not respond to TNIE's calls and messages for a comment on the issue.
Fact File
Salem shares borders with Erode, Namakkal, Dharmapuri, Tiruchy, Kallakurchi, Perambalur districts and Karnataka. It is spread over 5,245 sq km and has an estimated population of 37 lakh people. The district has one City Municipal Corporation, 13 taluks, six municipalities including Mettur, Attur, Edappadi, Edanganasalai, Tharamangalam and Narasingapuram, 30 town panchayats and 385 village panchayats.