With parliament elections nearing, voices for bifurcating Salem and creating a separate Attur district are getting louder. But residents of Yercaud have opposed it.
One of the oldest municipalities in Tamil Nadu, Attur is situated 50 km away from Salem, and is home to a number of schools, colleges, and sago factories. Political parties like Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi (KMDK) have on several occasions urged the state government to bifurcate Salem into three districts. In 2014, former Attur MLA S. Madeswaran raised the issue in the Legislative Assembly, following which the government also conducted meetings with the public in this regard.
During the 2019 parliamentary elections and the 2021 assembly elections, traders and farmers urged parties to support the formation of a separate Attur district. For the past three days now, messages have been doing the rounds on social media that Attur will be made into a separate district, and Yercaud will also be included in it. Following this news, political party members and traders met Revenue officials and raised their objections to the move. They also announced shops would be closed in Yercaud in protest against the move on Saturday. But the district administration intervened and assured that the government has made no such move, following which traders called off their protest.
View of Attur Bus Stand in Salem district in Tamil Nadu on January 27, 2024 | Photo Credit: E. LAKSHMI NARAYANAN
P. Sivasubramaniam, writer and resident of Attur, said there are already five taluks - Vazhapadi, Pethanaickenpalayam, Attur, Gangavalli, and Thalaivasal in and around Attur, all of which were enough to create a district, and there was no need to include Yercaud. Since it is closer to Salem, Yercaud deserves to be in Salem district. “This rumour has been spread by certain to divert attention from the demand for Attur district and create problems. The government should make an announcement soon and make Attur a separate district. Right now, a farmer in Veeraganur has to travel 80 kilometres to Salem Collectorate for any assistance,” Mr.Sivasubramaniam added.
District Collector S. Karmegam said there has been no government order announcing Attur as a separate district, and action would be taken against people spreading these rumours and creating problems through social media.
