Plea to desilt drainage channels

THOOTHUKUDI

A group of residents from Kaayalpattinam submitted a petition to the Collector on Monday urging him to initiate steps for desilting all drainage channels in the town near Tiruchendur to ensure proper draining of rainwater during the monsoon.

In a petition submitted to Collector K. Senthil Raj, residents of Kaayalpattinam, who experienced heavy rain during the northeast monsoon and flooding last year, said the failure of Kaayalpattinam Municipality in desilting the drainage channels left the residents stranded in flood. 

“After a petition was submitted to the Collector last month, the Municipal Commissioner has given false information that all drainage channels in Kaayalpattinam had been desilted to drain stagnant rainwater into the sea. Since the drainage channels of Kaayalpattinam are yet to be desilted, the work should be completed properly at the earliest,” said M.N. Ahmed, one of the signatories of the petition.

 Demanding the re-opening of the sealed Sterlite Copper manufacturing unit, residents of Terspuram, Lourdhammalpuram, Inigo Nagar, Annai Teresa Fishermen Colony, Backyanathanvilai, Kovilpillai Nagar, Kalaignar Nagar, Pandaarampatti, Silverpuram, Madaththur, Meelavittaan, Pudur Pandiapuram and Sankaraperi submitted a petition to the Collector.

As members of political parties, farmers’ associations, caste and religious outfits used to come in large numbers to submit petitions on Mondays, the Collectorate would see chaotic crowd till 1.30 p.m. So, the police stopped the petitioners coming in groups at the main entrance of the Collectorate and allowed only their representatives to submit the petition to the Collector.

Those who were wandering on the Collectorate premises were sent out and the police allowed only the petitioners to cross the main entrance. Even as the frisking was going on, Nagendran, 70, from Mullakkaadu, who managed to enter the Collectorate, attempted to immolate himself by sprinkling kerosene all over his body. However, the police thwarted his attempt.

 “I wanted to end my life as the free house site given to me by the government has been illegally occupied by a criminal and my repeated petitions seeking action against the encroacher went in vain,” he told the police. .

Those in distress or having suicidal tendencies could seek help and counselling by calling State’s health helpline 104 or Chennai-based Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.