Tamil Nadu: Need school, PHC before auditorium, say Ponthur villagers

CHENNAI: Raising demands to prioritise basic amenities, residents of Ponthur village near Madurantakam in Chengalpattu halted the construction of an auditorium sanctioned by the Sithamoor panchayat union and demolished part of the unfinished structure on Friday.

The population of Ponthur, an agrarian settlement, mostly consists of farm labourers who have long sought the expansion of the local school building, a primary health centre and a ration shop.

They have repeatedly made these demands at gram sabha meetings but were dismissed by both Ponthur panchayat and the Sithamoor panchayat union on the grounds of limited funds and space, they said.

Ironically, the panchayat union recently approved a Rs 8 lakh plan to construct an auditorium on a government plot under the constituency development fund.

On learning the decision, the villagers initially petitioned both panchayat and panchayat union offices by submitting signatures to emphasise that a performance hall was unnecessary when essential services remained unmet.

With the requests being unheard, the construction of the hall began earlier this week. Dozens of villagers, including women, stormed the site, blocked the work and tore down the partially built walls by dismantling the bricks.

The panchayat staff arrived at the site and warned that damaging a government structure was an offence. This was met with the villagers' angry response, and they said, "We have only asked for a school building, a ration shop and a health centre. We never demanded an auditorium. Officials claim there is no land or money for essential facilities, yet plenty of government land lies encroached." They also demanded that encroachments be cleared and vital infrastructure provided before any cultural hall is built. Following the confrontation, the panchayat administration has temporarily suspended the project.