Collector N. Venkatachalam inspected a well and a land in dispute at Lakshmipuram village near Periyakulam here on Saturday as per the direction of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court.
Accompanied by revenue and Public Works Department officials, he inspected the site and verified the survey conducted by officials, collected some details about the well and the land.
However, local people alleged that the Collector’s visit was kept confidential and he neither met local people nor contacted petitioners at the village.
On July 17, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, which heard a public interest litigation filed by A. Rengasamy of Lakshmipuram, had directed the Collector to inspect in person the well in the land, allegedly belonging to Vijayalakshmi, wife of former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, to ascertain the quantum of water drawn from there and submit a report to the court on August 1. Already, the residents had demanded that digging of an open well in a private land near the Kombaiyaru at Lakshmipuram to irrigate 200 acres of land at distant places should be stopped immediately.
Former panchayat president Jayabal had stated that the villagers had decided to buy the land.
“We appealed to officials to show land documents for verification and to check encumbrance. We met the Collector in this connection. But we were asked to meet the landowner’s lawyer for documents,” he said.
Earlier, Mr. Panneerselvam had announced that he was ready of offer the land free of cost to people. Meanwhile, villagers alleged that the landowner had transferred the documents to name of a local person recently.
They had blocked Periyakulam-Dindigul Highway demanding closure of an open well on June 22 and 23. About 243 people were arrested on July 10 when they attempted to lay siege to the open well.
