The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Halt action against illegal wells in Amaravathy: AIADMK

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Halt action against illegal wells in Amaravathy: AIADMK

Staff Reporter

District administration to hold meet on June 30

KARUR: Elected people’s representatives belonging to the AIADMK demanded a halt on the encroachment demolition drive against the illegal wells sunk in the Amaravathy riverbed here on Saturday claiming that “public, industries and all sections of society will be affected” if demolition continued.

When contacted Karur MP M. Thambi Durai and MLA V. Senthil Balaji claimed that they were not against the removal of encroachments but that they wanted the officials to ensure that those areas not getting enough water supply receive alternative support besides demanding action against those who allowed the illegal wells to come up over the past years. They also demanded that a meeting of all stakeholders be called to discuss the issue and take a suitable decision after talks.

Bowing to their wishes the district administration has called for a meeting of stakeholders on June 30 to discuss the issue and decide on the further course of action.

Besides, the MLA faulted the officials alleging that they were partial in dealing with the encroachment removal asking why they were concentrating on a particular stretch when there were encroachments all over.

Dithering for a few days after behind-the-screen manoeuvres by political personalities delayed the furtherance of the demolition drive against the 50-odd illegally sunk and operated wells from which unscrupulous elements pumped out water sans any permission from the officials and sold them to public, business establishments and commercial complexes in water-starved Karur town, officials renewed their drive on Saturday.

Even as they had demolished some seven wells using three backhoe loaders, the AIADMK leaders and supporters arrived at the scene and demanded that the drive be halted and suitable action to compensate the suffering public be done before demolition furthered.

The AIADMK leaders would have none of the officials’ response and supported by the public who had gathered by then forced the officials to step back and come for talks.

Accordingly the district administration has called for a meeting on June 30 to discuss the issue.

The AIADMK leaders claimed that several parts of Karur were not getting water even once in a fortnight and any move such as the present on would affect several area public and industries. Tackle that first, they said.

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