TIRUNELVELI
The Akhila India Kulaalar Munnetra Sangam has appealed to the officials to save a drainage channel in Melapalayam, which is being filled up by a realtor to form road in a bid to create easy access to the housing plots being developed by him.
Its members, in the petition submitted here on Monday, said the 10-feet wide drainage channel close to Thiruneelakanda Naayanar Street in the 30th ward under the Melapalayam Zone of Tirunelveli Corporation was being filled up with debris and gravel by the realtor.
“Though a group of residents, opposing this move, submitted a petition with the Corporation’s Melapalayam Zone officials asking the urban civic body to stop the activity, no step was taken to save the drainage channel. Encouraged by this, the realtor is using heavy equipment. If the channel is filled up, rainwater and sewage will enter the earthenware manufacturing units and damage the machinery, finished products and also the products in the making. Hence, the Collector should take appropriate action,” said the petitioners, led by S. Murugan, State vice-president of the sangam.
Housing sites
A group of people from Kallidaikurichi, all reportedly belonging to below poverty line families, submitted a petition seeking free housing sites as they, along with their children, were being left at the mercy of the houseowners who would force them to vacate their houses without any prior intimation.
Since the State Election Commission formally notified the rural local body elections on Monday morning even as the petitioners from various parts of the district had already come to the Collectorate to submit their petitions, the grievance redressal meet was cancelled immediately, much to the disappointment of the public. They were asked to drop their petitions in a drop box kept in the waiting hall of the Collectorate.
