Opposition on rise against proposed merger, upgradation of village panchayats in TN's Kanniyakumari
KANNIYAKUMARI: With panchayat presidents, MLAs and common people raising concern against the proposed merger of around 25 village panchayats in Kanniyakumari with nearby town panchayats, and upgradation of 10 village panchayats as town panchayats, popular protests are on the rise in the district, which comprises 51 town panchayats and 95 villages panchayats.
The merger was proposed in a letter from the Assistant Director of Town Panchayats to the Assistant Director of Village Panchayats in December 2023, as per the direction of higher authorities. It stated that the move was in line with the municipal administration minister's reply to the demand for grants for the financial year 2023-24, as the the tenure for local bodies would end in December 2024, and a final decision on the merger will be taken after holding talks with the rural development minister, officials concerned, and receiving orders from the chief minister.
Village panchayats including Nallur, Karumpatoor, Swamithoopu, Thovalai, Kattuputhur, Palloor, Nattalam, Aruvikarai, Vilavancode, Malayadi, and Thippiramalai among others, are part of the proposed merger, while 10 others including Painkulam, Mela Senkarankuzhi, Dharmapuram, Rajjakamangalam, and Vilathurai, are part of the proposed upgradation.
Strongly opposing the merger, Thovalai village panchayat president A Nedunchezhian, belonging to DMK party, said it will adversely affect the panchayats and the people. Kanniyakumari MLA and AIADMK leader N Thalavai Sundaram shared a similar concern and submitted a petition to the district collector urging to cancel the merger. "In case of merger, the residents of local bodies will have to pay higher taxes, would lose funds from schemes including MGNREGA among others," said the leader, who also took part in a gruel preparation protest held at Eraviputhoor village panchayat on Sunday in this regard.
Further, Killiyoor MLA S Rajesh Kumar, who is the Congress deputy leader of the assembly, said some of the village panchayats in Killiyoor constituency would also be affected in the proposed merger and upgradation. "Several development projects are being carried out in the village panchayats in Kerala, a state which has no town panchayats. The proposal is against former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's dream initiative - Panchayat Raj Act," he said.
Meanwhile, CPM district executive committee member S Antony said the party would stage protests at the village panchayats and in front of the collectorate opposing the move. However, senior government officials opined that the merger was an annual exercise based on the census of village panchayats, and it has been kept on hold. The rural development department has not taken any decision in this regard, they added.