PERAMBALUR: Frustrated over officials not turning up, even after hours, for the grama sabha at Agaram Seegur panchayat in the district on Republic Day, villagers walked out of the meeting on Thursday. Seeking a platform to air their grievances, they have urged the district administration to convene a grama sabha immediately.
Over 350 residents of Karuppattankurichi and Vayalur assembled at the grama sabha in Agaram Seegur panchayat by 11 am on January 26 hoping to put forth the host of issues they faced, including the unchecked practice of open defecation and a lack of roads.
However, no department officials, save for two and panchayat president S Muthamizhselvan and Veppur Zonal Deputy Block Development Officer Muthukumaran, turned up for the meeting. Frustrated over them not turning up even until 2 pm, the participants dispersed, said villagers.
With the meeting not taking place, the villagers expressed dejection over no resolutions being adopted on the host of issues plaguing them. Following this, the villagers submitted a petition to District Collector P Sri Venkada Priya the very next day urging to convene the grama sabha immediately.
M Elavarasan, a resident and a CPM functionary said, "Usually no formal notice is sent out here while convening a grama sabha and the meeting often is mere eyewash. However, this time we sent letters by post requesting all department officials to attend the meeting. We also raised enough awareness among the public by putting up posters and issuing notices.
Even though the villagers turned up, not enough officials attended. Those officials who turned up were late." Another resident, K Premkumar, who is an advocate, said, "Various schemes were brought to our panchayat but none of the authorities implements them properly.”
An integrated sanitary complex for women, in particular, was allotted but the panchayat has not constructed it yet, he added. Pointing to the various issues that villagers face, he said, “A road laid recently is in very poor condition. When we enquired with the authorities, they ignored us without a proper answer. Further, encroachments and corruption abound here.
The grama sabha that was not held should hence be convened immediately." When contacted, Assistant Director of Panchayats (Perambalur) Ganapathy told TNIE, "A group petitioned the district collector saying that the grama sabha did not take place due to officials’ absence. The meeting, however, was conducted properly. We are, however, holding inquiries over the issue in accordance with their petition."