Tea estate worker turns Manimuthar panchayat chairperson

The tea estate workers of Manjolai are upbeat as they are seeing light at the end of the tunnel after one of their co-workers has been elected as chairperson of Manimuthar town panchayat.
J Anthonyammal
J Anthonyammal

TIRUNELVELI: The tea estate workers of Manjolai are upbeat as they are seeing light at the end of the tunnel after one of their co-workers has been elected as chairperson of Manimuthar town panchayat.
Meet the new chairperson of the town panchayat, J Anthonyammal (50), who won from Ward 10 of the panchayat.

R Seelan, a worker at the estate, said though they have been requesting for a road to their area, located in the middle of Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, their requests have not been addressed yet.

“Those who need medical assistance have to suffer a lot due to the lack of roads,” he said, adding the people are also requesting for free house pattas as they fear they could be evicted from their place soon.
Though the tea estate has been there for more than 90 years, it is for the first time that an estate worker is occupying the chairman post.

Speaking to TNIE, Anthonyammal said, “I will take measures to address the grievances of the people not only in the estate but also of the other wards. Since I have been a tea estate worker for years, I will be able to understand the needs of the workers,” he added.

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