VILLUPURAM: After heavy rainfall and discharge of water from Thenpennaiyar River subsided considerably in Villupuram on Tuesday, legislators and officials, who visited the villages to take stock of the situation, faced the wrath of the people over perceived negligence and lack of adequate relief measures.
During his visit to flood-affected areas at Iruvelpattu and Arasur villages in the district on Tuesday, some people threw mud at forest minister K Ponmudy, his son Gautham Sigamani, and district collector C Palani. Sources said the people were agitated as officials did not visit their area in the last two days and the minister was listening to their woes sitting in his car.
Official sources said Vijayarani (40), a suspected BJP member, and her relative Ramakrishnan (25) were involved in the attack.
At Ayenampalayam village, along the Gingee-Villupuram road, Dalit residents staged a protest for almost an hour demanding relief, food and shelter. The people alleged that they were sent out of Roja marriage hall and MS hall, two temporary relief centres, due to marriage functions there. As their houses were still under water, the residents blocked the road demanding food and water.
Vikravandi MLA Anniyur A Siva, who went to the spot, tried to convince the agitated residents but they confronted the MLA for not providing them proper food at the relief centre for the past two days and visiting their village during the rain disaster. They also asked him to take steps to pump out the water from their locality so that they could stay in their homes. After MLA Siva promised them all the necessary steps, the protest was withdrawn. Traffic was affected for an hour on the route. But, even by late evening, the people were not given drinking water or shelter. They sat outside their homes on the street and began drying the rain-drenched rice as they weren't given food supplies to cook.
Around 5 pm, about 200 residents of Aiyankovilpattu village near the Pambai river blocked the Chennai-Tiruchy highway, demanding officials to inspect the damage and provide relief. The 250 families in the village had suffered without food, electricity and drinking water for the past four days. Over a hundred women sat on the road, blocking vehicles. Traffic on the highway was disrupted for almost an hour and vehicles were stranded for almost seven km. Additional Superintendent of Police V Thirumal tried to persuade the protesters to move from the spot, but his efforts went in vain. After Vikravandi tahsildar assured to visit their area, people withdrew the protest. Collector, through phone call, also promised to restore power at the earliest.
Officials said food and drinking water has been sent by the government relief team to Iruvelpattu with three MLAs K Karthikeyan (Rishivandiyam), T Udhaysuriyan (Sankarapuram) and A J Manikannan (Ulundurpet) deputed to take care of relief operations in the region. Revenue officers, including tahsildar, have reached the Ayenampalayam Pudhu colony village to assess the relief.
Meanwhile, collector C Palani distributed relief measures to residents of Thiruvennainallur block, and minister Ponmudy distributed relief materials in Thirukovilur in Kallakurichi district. Ponmudy also inspected relief centers at Thirukovilur and directed officials to act quickly to restore normalcy.
About 4,906 people are currently accommodated at 67 relief centres in Villupuram.
