Proposal to have Tenkasi Collectorate at Aayiraperi triggers heated argument

Opposers say it will be difficult to access for people from northern parts of the district

TIRUNELVELI

The proposal to have the Tenkasi Collectorate at Aayiraperi near Tenkasi has triggered intense war of words and poster war between the supporters and the opposers of the newborn district as those who resist the move say that the Collectorate will be difficult to access for people coming from northern parts of the district like Sivagiri.

After the Tamil Nadu Government carved out Tenkasi district from the sprawling Tirunelveli district to fulfil the three decade-old demand, suggestions from every quarter started pouring in on the site to be selected for the Combined District Collectorate Complex housing Collector’s Office, District Police Office and other government departments. Now, the Collectorate Complex is likely to come up on 46 acres of land belonging to the Department of Agriculture close to Aayiraperi near Tenkasi.

As the news spread, the Opposition parties are against it saying that the Collectorate Complex should come up on an easily accessible sprawling land situated on a highway. And, as expected, the villagers of Aayiraperi and the ruling AIADMK cadre support the choice of the site.

The Opposition suggested that the sprawling land at Kuththukkalvalasai on busy Tenkasi – Madurai Highway belonging to Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department could be chosen for the Collectorate as it will be easily accessible.

“We (the MDMK) wanted the Thiruvenkatam and the Sankarankovil taluks continue to be with the Tirunelveli district considering the easy connectivity. However, the government ignored our appeal. Now, the decision to construct the Collectorate at Aayiraperi will take the offices still farther to a secluded place. However, the HR and CE land is situated just a few kilometres away from Tenkasi and the people from Shencottai, Vadakarai and Paimpozhil, all in western side and Sankarankovil, Kadayanallur, Puliyangudi, Veerakeralampudhur, Surandai and other areas can easily reach the Collectorate, thanks to the round-the-clock connectivity,” says T.M. Rajendran, Tirunelveli rural district secretary of the MDMK.

He argues that the Collectorates of all new districts created in the past were situated on the highways and not in an inaccessible place.

The DMK, on its part, too has condemned the decision to create the Collectorate at Aayiraperi through the posters pasted across Tenkasi.

“The Collectorate should come up on an easily accessible place situated on a highway,” says DMK’s Tirunelveli west district secretary Sivapadmanathan.

However, the officials say that a ring road connecting the Ambasaumdram Road near Azad Nagar Bridge at the entrance of Tenkasi and Melagaram via Aayiraperi was to be laid to make the Collectorate easily accessible.

“If the road is laid, the Collectorate will be just 1.50 km away from Melagaram on Tenkasi – Courtallam Road. Moreover, those who come to the Tenkasi Collectorate from Tiurnelveli, Alangulam, Surandai or Paavoorchathram need not enter Tenkasi as they can take the new ring road from Ambasamudram Road and reach the Collectorate,” the officials say.