Residents petition against road being laid in irrigation tank by advocate to his housing plots layout

Villagers seek intervention to stop encroachment of irrigation tank; support petition for tea estate workers' rights.

Villagers of Melakulam Naduvoor on Palayamkottai outskirts submitted a petition to Collector K.P. Karthikeyan on Monday seeking his intervention to stop the alleged ongoing encroachment of an irrigation tank in their area by an advocate for forming road to his housing plots layout.

 The petitioners, led by R. Murugan, said over 100 acres of cultivable lands, all owned by the villagers of Melakulam Naduvoor and nearby areas, is getting water from nearby Kattaarankulam. Moreover, the irrigation tank also meets the drinking water needs of the villagers.

An advocate from Rahmath Nagar in Palayamkottai, who is creating housing plots near Kattaarankulam, is illegally lifting the soil from the irrigation tank for forming road within the tank to his project.

 “When we, the villagers, forwarded petitions to the officials in a bid to save the irrigation tank, which is ensuring our livelihood, false complaints are being given against the villagers in Palayamkottai Taluk Police Station by a group of advocates in a bid to deter them. The police are also supporting the advocate and his colleagues for reasons best known. Hence, the Collector should instruct the officials concerned to inspect the spot and ascertain the quantum of encroachment made inside the irrigation tank. We appeal to the Collector to save our livelihood,” said Mr. Murugan.

Support to tea estate workers

Members of a few outfits submitted a petition in support of Manjolai tea estate workers. They said the Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation (BBTC), which created Manjolai tea estate on 8,373.57 acres at Manjolai, Nalumukku, Ooththu, Kaakkaachi, and Kuthiraivetti, was cultivating cash crops like tea, coffee, pepper, cardamom etc. with the labourers brought to this spot in the Western Ghats from the southern districts and neighbouring Kerala in 1929.

Even though the 99-year lease period was about to end in 2028, the BBTC administration has decided to stop its operations in Manjolai four years in advance and hence, the workers had been asked to go on voluntary retirement.