As drought-like situation prevails in the district, women from a few rural areas of the district submitted a petition to Collector M. Karunakaran on Monday seeking employment under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme.
The women from Naranammalpuram, Kamaraj Nagar and Selvam Nagar said in their petition that all five irrigation tanks around Naranammalpuram were bone dry and agricultural operations had been seriously paralysed due to water scarcity. Hence, the women, who had been rendered jobless, should be given employment under MNREGP to save the families from possible starvation.
Moreover, ration shop and drinking water facilities, old age pension for senior citizens and monthly assistance for widows should be given to the eligible applicants from these hamlets, they appealed.
A group of villagers from Marakkudi Rastha near Maanur submitted a petition seeking subsidy for toilets they had constructed in their houses.
Auto drivers from Melapalayam submitted a petition against collecting Rs. 50 a day from auto drivers who had failed to renew the license or fitness certificate.
Hindu Makkal Katchi workers, led by district president S. Udaiyar submitted a petition seeking early disbursal of ‘pongal’ freebies to all cardholders and resumption of renovation work at Bhagavathi Amman Temple at Viswanathadas Nagar in Thisaiyanvilai.
