Residents boycott gram sabha meeting in protest against Tasmac outlet

Residents of Minnur village, which is located around eight kms from Ambur town in Tirupattur, boycotted the special gram sabha meeting and protested against the existing Tasmac outlet in the village for being a public nuisance for the past few years.

Residents said that the lone Tasmac outlet, since it was set up seven years ago, resulted in nuisance every day, especially during weekends, when wage labourers and agricultural workers in the village get their weekly salary. “During the gram sabha meetings for the past four years, the panchayat passed a resolution against the Tasmac outlet in the village. However, no action has been taken by the district administration ,” said N. Shankar, a farmer.

Residents said that the village is located in between Ambur and Vaniyambadi towns in the district. Therefore, the shop is frequented especially after the closure of three Tasmac outlets on the Chennai – Bengaluru Highway (NH-48) in Ambur town by district administration to comply with Madras High Court orders against running such outlets on the highways.

“After the rise in water level in Palar river due to recent rain, those who used to visit another outlet in neighbouring Vadakarai village, have been coming to the outlet in Minnur as they cannot cross the river due to high water level,” said K. Pandurangan, president, Minnur panchayat.

Agitated residents said that there were several incidents in the village where inebriated people were caught attacking the innocent ones. Many times, drunk people were found lying on the carriageway of the village road, affecting traffic movement on the route. Drunk people also engage in petty fights with other residents in the village. A government high school, Primary Health care Centre (PHC), temples, and a panchayat office are located on the stretch where the outlet is located. Students, women, farmers and traders were scared to use the stretch, residents said.

Residents said that several complaints to close the Tasmac outlet were given to Ambur MLA A.C. Vilwanathan and Collector K. Sivasoundaravalli, but no action was taken. Based on an alert, Ambur tasildar S. Revathy and Ambur Taluk police rushed to the spot and pacified the agitated residents. Revenue officials assured them that the outlet will be relocated to a place outside the village in two months. Following the assurance of officials, residents dispersed peacefully.