THOOTHUKUDI: Citing the distance to the taluk headquarters in Vilathikulam as a major obstacle in accessing revenue services, residents of Pudur particularly traders and farmers have urged the state government to carve out a new taluk headquartered in Pudur.
Vilathikulam, one of the 10 taluks in the district, falls under the Kovilpatti sub-division and stretches from Pudur in the north to Kulathur in the south. The taluk includes Pudur town and the Pudur panchayat union, which comprises a cluster of 44 villages.
Residents of Pudur town must travel nearly 30 km to reach the taluk headquarters, while people from peripheral villages in the panchayat union often travel up to 45 km. Additionally, Pudur is located at the junction of Ramanathapuram, Virudhunagar, and Thoothukudi districts, making it nearly 100 km from the district collectorate in Thoothukudi.
Farmers from Pudur and surrounding villages many of whom rely on dryland agriculture said the long distance is a significant burden. Varadharajan, president of the Karisal Boomi Vivasayigal Sangam, said the remoteness has hindered residents from availing revenue services such as applying for marriage and education assistance, and obtaining certificates of birth, death, income, and nativity. “Though applications can be submitted online through e-sevai centres, visiting the taluk office is still necessary,” he added.
Claiming the region has been "neglected," Pudur Vattara Vivasayigal Sangam secretary D. Prasad said, “We must travel to Vilathikulam for Aadhaar updates, ration cards, and other basic needs. As farmers, revenue documents are essential, and it takes an entire day to file complaints at the taluk office.”
Prasad further alleged that revenue officials rarely visit villages in Pudur's periphery due to the distance. “They even skip surveying crop damages,” he said. Mohan, a local trader, noted that establishing a taluk office in Pudur would significantly benefit the residents.
A senior revenue official stated that Vilathikulam taluk currently has 86 revenue villages, and Ettayapuram has 56. A new Pudur taluk could be formed by combining all villages under the Pudur union and select areas from Vilathikulam and Ettayapuram taluks, the official suggested.