DINDIGUL: A 200-metre stretch of the pathway leading to a burial ground in Oru Thattu village has allegedly been encroached upon, leaving residents of Ammainaickanur Town Panchayat struggling to shift the bodies of their loved ones during funerals.
Speaking to TNIE, A Muthupandian, a long-time resident, said more than 200 families live in the village in Bommanaickenpatti.
Whenever a death occurs, villagers have to carry the mortal remains to the burial ground in Ammainaickanur Town Panchayat, located around 1 km away.
“Villagers have been using a route along the water stream to reach the burial ground. However, over the past few years, a few private individuals have claimed ownership of land along the pathway and refused to allow villagers to use it. As a result, villagers are forced to use farmland near the water stream. But when crops are cultivated, farmers object to villagers passing through the fields. Consequently, we are forced to travel more than 3 km to reach the burial ground,” he said. K Rathispandi, another villager, said residents had petitioned the district administration several times seeking action on the issue, but no steps had been taken so far.
“Recently, retired government teacher M Azhagarsamy died due to age-related illness. When villagers took his mortal remains through the pathway, they were again saddened to find fences erected across it. They had to use an alternate route to reach the burial ground. We are frustrated over how the pathway along the water stream can be encroached upon and fenced without any valid reason,” he said.
An official from Ammainaickanur Town Panchayat said the local body had received a petition regarding the issue a few days ago.
“We will deploy revenue officials to measure the pathway and remove any encroachment, if found. Besides, they will check with the PWD department regarding the watercourse of the stream in the area and ascertain whether the watercourse has been forcibly diverted over the past two decades,” the official said.
