MADURAI: The delay in appointing a full-time Village Administrative Officer (VAO) in Semminipatti panchayat of Melur taluk has compelled residents to travel over 14 kilometres to obtain essential legal documents, causing hardship to villagers, most of whom depend on agriculture for their livelihood.
Speaking to TNIE, Suresh, a resident of Semminipatti panchayat, expressed frustration over the prolonged absence of a dedicated VAO. He said there are more than 600 families spread across four hamlets in the panchayat.
Despite having a VAO office within the jurisdiction, survey numbers of the village are intertwined with those of the neighbouring Pongampatti panchayat, which has a larger population. As a result, the VAO from Pongampatti visits the Semminipatti office only for a few hours to manage administrative work and spends most of the time at the Pongampatti VAO building.
“Initially, villagers did not see this as a major issue as Pongampatti panchayat is only about two kilometres away,” Suresh said. However, the situation worsened three months ago when the dedicated VAO for Semminipatti was transferred and the additional charge was given to the VAO of Saruguvalapatti.
“Saruguvalapatti is located over 14 kilometres away. With the VAO overseeing a large area, residents are forced to travel long distances to reach the office, which has added to our struggles,” he added.
Former Semminipatti Panchayat leader Khader Basha also expressed strong dissatisfaction over the absence of a full-time VAO to address essential legal requirements. He said the VAO plays a crucial role in authorising documents such as Patta, Chitta and Adangal, making residents heavily dependent on the revenue official.
“Semminipatti panchayat has four hamlets, Pongampatti has six and Saruguvalayapatti has another six. At present, the VAO of Saruguvalayapatti is overseeing 16 panchayats, placing them under immense pressure due to workload. As a result, we are often compelled to travel over 14 kms to access basic services,” he said.
An official from the district administration said the issue would be resolved within a week. She said the administration was aware of the problem and had received several petitions and representations from farmers.
Discussions are currently underway with the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) of Madurai district. Within a week, a new Village Administrative Officer will be appointed on a full-time basis in Pongampatti panchayat to manage the responsibilities effectively,” she added.