Perambalur villagers gherao panchayat president over resolution on private quarry closure

“Children are afraid to go to school as a lot of lorries ply the roads. Also, excessive dust is generated from the private quarry, giving us various problems.”
Participant villagers gheraoing the panchayat president at Sitheli village in Perambalur district. ( Photo | EPS)
Participant villagers gheraoing the panchayat president at Sitheli village in Perambalur district. ( Photo | EPS)

PERAMBALUR: The special grama sabha meeting convened at Sitheli panchayat in the district on
Labour Day witnessed tense moments as the participants, irked by the delay in the adoption of a resolution for closing down a private stone quarry in one of the villages, gheraoed the panchayat president, demanding immediate action.

Over a hundred people from the Sitheli and Peelvadi villages under Sitheli panchayat in Kunnam taluk took part in the special grama sabha meeting led by panchayat president R Raja on Sunday. Veppur revenue officials and ward members were also present. At the meeting, the participant villagers urged the
panchayat chief to adopt a resolution for the closure of a private stone quarry at Peelavadi. They claimed the quarry to be a source of great inconvenience owing to its proximity to the residential area, the movement of trucks, and use of explosives. The panchayat president, however, reportedly said there were some formalities involved in adopting the resolution and added it would be done the next time. Irked by this, the villagers gheraoed him and raised slogans demanding proper action on their various needs, including basic amenities.

The Maruvathur police on information arrived at the spot and attempted to pacify the villagers. Peelvadi resident P Muthusamy said, “The quarry operating in our village is causing problems not only for us but for four other villages, including Elumur and Keelapuliyur, as well. Children are afraid to go to school as
there are a lot of lorries plying the roads. Also, excessive dust is generated from the private quarry, giving us various problems.”

“We urged the panchayat chief at a special grama sabha meet held last week (April 24) to adopt a resolution regarding its closure. He said the resolution would be adopted at the grama sabha meeting on May 1. But even today, he didn’t fulfill it citing various reasons. Thus the question as to whether he supports the quarry arises,” he added.

Another resident, V Dass, said, “We have filed a petition with the Sitheli panchayat, Veppur BDO, District Collectorate and Transport Minister SS Sivasankar seeking closure of the quarry, but nothing happened. Thus we decided to move for the adoption of the resolution at the grama sabha meeting. But even there the
panchayat chief ignored us. I do not know where to lodge a complaint.” “If the resolution is adopted it will help us to take the issue to the High Court,” he added.

When contacted, Sitheli panchayat president Raja told TNIE, “I have accepted the demand of the villagers and promised to adopt the resolution on the quarry’s closure. But I said there are formalities for that. They misunderstood this. I will conduct an emergency meeting in the panchayat on Monday and adopt the resolution.” I have risen to the position to serve the people and I will always stand by them, he added.

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