Irked villagers threaten to resettle near collectorate

By Feroze Ahmed

CHENNAI, JAN. 13. A section of Alathur panchayat residents have resolved to renounce their village and resettle near the Tiruvallur district collectorate, if soil quarrying in the Alathur lake was not stopped immediately. They will start vacating the village on January 17 looking for other occupations, they said.

Excavating soil from the lake, they said, would hinder flow of water to the fields, affecting agricultural activities -- their main means of livelihood. The tender for quarrying has been sanctioned without their consent, they charged. The issue seems to have resulted from the differences between Panchayat and Government officials, and the villagers.

The Alathur Panchayat vice-president, Mr. R. Ravichandran, said the lake had not been useful for agriculture the last 5 years. The villagers were already excavating soil from the lake to supply to the brick kilns in the village. To stop this `illegal' quarrying, Government officials had suggested contracting a private party, he said. It would fetch the Panchayat fund a good sum, he added.

He said most villagers had supported the quarrying, but those present challenged him immediately. Also, he did not have an answer as to why the excavations had deviated stipulations.

Mr. A. Thangaiah, who has been awarded the contract, claimed the residents had demanded that he contribute towards village development, which he had accepted. Also, 40 per cent of the amount paid to the Government treasury would be diverted to the Panchayat fund, he said. This would amount to about 1.2 lakhs for the three-month contract.

The quarrying was started following legal procedures and with official sanction, according to the Village Administrative Officer, Alathur village, Mr. A. Ashok Kumar.

But the quarrying has now been suspended due to deviation of rules, the Revenue Division Officer, Ponneri division, Mr. N. Perumal said. Excavation is allowed in portions of 250m x 100m, and depth of 3 feet. The stipulation has not been followed in the dug up portions. A report in this regard has been submitted to the Tiruvallur Collector, he said.

The villagers too seem divided on the issue. The lake has not been useful for agriculture for many years, a villager said. The portions dug up by the excavations would serve to store rain water in the otherwise dry bed, he added. Another person hinted that the chief contention of the protesters was that they were not consulted while awarding the contract.

The protesters including a large number of the villagers and women strongly felt they have been cheated and their village was forsaken.

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