TIRUPPUR: Around 20 scheduled caste families who relocated to Azaghumalai are finding it difficult to secure drinking water connections for want of tax receipts. The panchayat president refuses to issue the receipts allegedly because they did not relocate within the time stipulated when the patta was issued.
Ramasamy, a resident of Azhagumalai, said, “Over 20 families belonging to SC (Arunthathiyar) live in the village. We received patta in 2014, and some of them moved in in 2019. A few families who could not relocate built makeshift shelters in order to claim ownership of land. When we applied for piped water connection under the Jal Jeevan Mission, we were denied connection on the grounds that we did not have property tax receipts. The panchayat president Thuyamani is acting with bias and refusing to accept property tax.”
Panchayat president P Thuyamani refuted the allegations and told TNIE, “The patta was issued to the families twice - once in 2013 and 2015. But the people failed to relocate within two years. So, I have denied the property receipt as per law. There is no bias.”
An official from the district administration said, “Whenever a patta is issued, beneficiaries have the right to demand access to roads, street lights, piped water connection and other facilities in their locality. Also, the panchayat president is the sole authority to offer or deny tax on properties. Since the beneficiaries did not relocate on time, he has refused them. We will check their ownership claims and action will be taken. There are possibilities of re-issuing their patta”