THOOTHUKUDI: Raising concern over the lack of basic amenities, the people of Mapilaiyoorani urged the state government to annex the village panchayat with the Thoothukudi corporation and submitted petitions with the district collector in this regard. If the government succumbs to pressure from vested interests, then we will resort to a series of protests, said residents.
The people of the village had fallen into trouble due to a breakage in the Korampallam tank owing to recent floods. Seven villages, including Rajapalayam, West Kamaraj Nagar, JJ Nagar, Poopandiyapuram, Balathandayutha Nagar, and Mathanagar, continue to remain inundated. The collector has appointed village officials to all 63 hamlets in Mapilaiyoorani for dewatering purposes, sources said.
"Despite being a bigger panchayat, the village lacks drainage canals and sewage carriers. All existing canals are encroached and the panchayat is in disorder," said M Jeyaraj, a DMK member. Further, Thoothukudi Vadabagam traders association secretary AC Palanisamy told TNIE that it was evident during the recent floods that the panchayat was unable to handle the situation alone, given the huge area and population. The floods were tackled with the support of corporation and block level authorities, he added.
Mapilaiyoorani, which has a population exceeding one lakh, lacks proper roads, street lamps, drainage system, storm water drains and drinking water facilities.
One Ponraj, who submitted a petition with the collector, told TNIE that the daily lives of the public have been crippled for the past 20 days owing to torrential rains. "It is the need of the hour to attach the panchayat with the corporation. Since the corporation had done proper maintenance of the drain canals, the water was removed within three days. The service of the corporation mayor was also sought to dewater the water logged areas. Though the government is making efforts to annex the village with the corporation, some politicians with vested interests, and some realtors are objecting to the move," Ponraj alleged.
Sesubalan, president of Siluvaipatti fishermen cooperative society, told TNIE that Mapilaiyoorani must be enclosed within the corporation so that people get more government services like garbage collection, repair of street lamps, rectification of damaged roads, and others, he said.
Sources said that Mapilaiyoorani was proposed to be added into the corporation in 2010, but the plan was dropped citing its lack of development on the industrial front. It may also be noted that the Thoothukudi panchayat union block development officer (BDO) had sought details including population, annual income, area, boundary maps and number of existing wards, from the Mapilaiyoorani, Ayyanadaippu, Korampallam and Mullakadu panchayats last October.
"At present these villages have developed enormously in terms of population and industries. It has a sizable number of shops, seafood processing companies and salt pan productions. So the government should attach the panchayat with the corporation," opined AC Palanisamy, Thoothukudi Vadabagam traders association secretary.