TIRUCHY: Condemning the bifurcation of Puthanatham panchayat, residents from as many as 18 villages in Tiruchy boycotted the Gram Sabha meeting held on Independence Day on Saturday.
The boycotting residents said that the bifurcation of Puthanatham panchayat into Puthanatham and Idayapatti panchayats would affect the farming activities at Puthanatham and the textile production, adversely affecting the livelihood of Idayapatti panchayat residents.
Highlighting that they had opposed the move of bifurcation ever since the decision was made and organised a series of protests, they said the government failed to pay heed to their appeals and went ahead with the bifurcation process, succeeding in establishing Idayapatti panchayat.
In such a backdrop, the residents from as many as 18 villages in the Idayapatti panchayat, in a protest, boycotted the gram sabha meeting scheduled on Saturday in view of Independence Day.
They displayed hoardings condemning the government and demanding the withdrawal of the bifurcation of the panchayat. As many villagers boycotted the meeting, the officials were waiting for the residents. Later, as many as 15 persons took part in the meeting, whom the protesting residents claimed were outsiders. The residents also claimed that the participants were brought by the officials to the meeting. They also said that they would intensify their protests if the government fails to withdraw the bifurcation of the panchayat.