Villagers refuse Pongal gift to protest against merger with Tiruchy corporation

The villagers are urging tenants not to accept the state Pongal gift in support of their demands.
Residents from Athavathur stage protest against the merger of their village with Tiruchy corporation
Residents from Athavathur stage protest against the merger of their village with Tiruchy corporation(File photo | Express)
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TIRUCHY: People from four villages in Anthanallur block in Tiruchy district abstained from receiving the Pongal special gift hamper of the government as part of the ongoing opposition against the proposed merger of their areas with the Tiruchy corporation. The residents have been citing impact on livelihood and agricultural and allied activities if their villages become part of the Tiruchy city.  

Revenue officials are reaching out to the protesters to pacify them, assuring that their grievances will be brought to the attention of the state government, officials said. Residents from nine villages had staged a road blockade in Somarasampettai on the outskirts of the city, on January 6, objecting to the merger of their villages with the Tiruchy corporation. They too expressed concerns about the consequences they would face if the merger proposal is implemented.

Now, villagers from areas including Athavathur, Koyyathoppu, and Pallakadu in Anthanallur block in Tiruchy are continuing their protest by refusing to accept Pongal gift hamper being distributed to cardholders at ration shops. Meanwhile, several tenants living in the earmarked areas have been impacted by the protests, as locals are preventing them from approaching the ration shops to collect the gift hampers. A tenant from Somarasampettai, who is a cardholder at one of the ration shops in the area, could not visit the ration shop due to the protest. The villagers are urging tenants not to accept the state Pongal gift in support of their demands. With only one day left until Monday, the last day to collect the gift, I am yet to receive his hamper, he said.    

When contacted, T Jayaraman, Joint Registrar of Cooperatives, said only two to three cardholders from the ration shops in the villages like Athavathur, Koyyathoppu, and Pallakadu (two shops) alone, had received their Pongal gift hampers so far. "As per our instructions, all the shops are open and required staff are present to complete the distribution of gift hampers to the cardholders on time. Meanwhile, officials from the revenue department are reaching out to the villagers to address their concerns and assure them that their grievances will be brought to the attention of the state government. We are hopeful that the process will be completed successfully, leaving no one out," the Joint Registrar told TNIE.

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