A panchayat union councillor, who appealed to District Collector Durai. Ravichandran to take steps for relaying a badly damaged road in his area, was chided by none other than the Collector even as farmers and the public were witnessing the development.
When Mr. Ravichandran went to Ramanadhi dam on Friday for releasing water from the reservoir for paddy cultivation, Kadayam panchayat union councillor Marikumar appealed to the Collector to give instructions to the officials concerned for relaying or repairing a road.
A visibly angered Mr. Ravichandran replied that he should have raised this issue when he was in his office.
“I have been in the Collectorate for the past six months… You could have raised this issue when I am in the office. I am here to release water from the dam for irrigation. If you have any grievance in connection with release of water, you can tell me now and don’t raise issues relating to roads or something else. Why are you creating problems here?,” Mr. Ravichandran said and left the spot even as the officials, farmers and the public were witnessing the unpleasant moment.
An upset Mr. Marikumar said he was just raising the people’s problem with the Collector when he came to their place with the hope that it would be resolved.
“I did not raise my personal problem with the Collector and wanted him to redress it. I believed that the Collector, after seeing the pathetic condition of the road, would take some positive steps for relaying or at least repairing the road. Unfortunately, the Collector is not prepared to even lend a patient hearing to our genuine grievance,” said Mr. Marikumar.
