Irked by negligence, locals boycott Gram Sabha in Vellore

Officials who arrived late for the Gram Sabha meeting, which is meant to discuss the local issues and review the panchayat accounts, at Morasapalli village in Pernambut panchayat union faced the wrath of the residents who cited a list of woes while refusing to hold the meeting.

Charging the officials of negligence towards the local issues, the villagers said that motors of around 10 borewells were not fixed since those were removed a year ago, which has resulted in water shortage in the village. 

Moreover, the locals alleged that a village service centre constructed at a cost of Rs 13 lakh was being used as a residence by the former panchayat president. 

The zonal deputy BDO immediately informed local administration officials following which a team arrived at the spot and visited the center along with the locals. 

The officials found chairs, clothes, vegetables, fruits and utensils inside the premises of the service centre, following which, they locked it and left while the meeting was adjourned.

In Tiruvannamalai district, the Gram Sabha meetings were not conducted in at least 20 villages as the locals demanded the officials to pass a resolution against the proposed 227-kilometre Chennai-Salem green corridor. Proceedings came to a halt in the villages through which the proposed expressway is planned as the officials were unwilling to pass such a resolution without consulting their superiors. 

At Narasinganallur panchayat in Chengam PU, the officials had to finally leave as the locals refused to attend the meeting until the resolution was passed. 

However, in around 10 villages in the district, the officials promised to pass the necessary resolution before leaving, while at C Nimmiyandal village, the officials left in a huff after three hours as villagers refused to participate until the demand was met.