Residents stage protest; seek EO for Mamsapuram town panchayat

‘₹8.40 crore reverse osmosis plant was lying unused for over one year’

Scores of residents of Mamsapuram town panchayat staged a ‘waiting protest’ outside the local body office pressing for a charter of demands, including posting of a permanent Executive Officer (EO) for the town panchayat on Tuesday.

Led by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam town secretary A. Udhayasooriyan, the protesters stayed put outside the office from morning till evening. Only after officials from town panchayat promised to post a permanent EO within ten days, the protesters dispersed.

“The local body is being run with an official in-charge for the past two years. As the official in-charge cannot take any major policy decision, but can only take care of the administrative works, several violations are taking place,” said P. Rajendra Cholan, town secretary of Communist Party of India.

Mr. Udhayasooriyan complained that water supply for the town with 30,000 population was not being done properly.

“We have enough water after the recent rain. But, distribution is not done properly. While some areas get abundant water, areas that are on a higher level and in tail-end areas, do not get water,” he added.

Besides, the protesters were angry over a reverse osmosis plant put up by the Ministry of Science and Technology that was lying unused for over one year. “The Ministry had spent ₹8.40 crore on the project. People were able to get potable water free of cost for three years. But, now maladministration has led to disconnection of electricity line due to non-payment of charges. People are denied the facility that was put up at a huge cost,” Mr. Cholan said.

Mr. Udhayasooriyan said that out of 13 toilets, the one in ward 18 was being maintained by local community. Other toilets were not properly maintained and women suffered due to poor maintenance of these toilets, he added.

The opposition party functionaries also from Congress, CPI-M, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and MDMK, complained that ruling partymen were indulging in smuggling of sand and soil and the officials were indifferent to this crime.