A delay in handing over a well, once owned by former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam’s wife in Lakshmipuram of Theni district, to the local panchayat, led to residents intensifying their agitation on Tuesday.
Black flags were hoisted along the road leading to the village and in front of some of the houses. Over 1,500 men and women formed a human chain for a distance of 1.5 km on Theni-Dindigul highway in the evening.
Former president of Lakshmipuram panchayat Karthikeyan alleged that there was endless postponement of registration of land, contrary to the promise made at a meeting on July 26. “If they have any problem in handing over the land free of cost, they can fix a rate for it. We are ready to pay back the cost of the land and expenses incurred for digging the open well," he said.
Those who addressed a protest meeting in the village condemned the "delaying tactics." The residents also sought the support of people in other villages in the district for the protest.
The row over land that came to an end on July 26 surfaced again on August 6 as residents of Lakshmipuram observed a fast condemning the inordinate delay in handing over the land to the panchayat. They took out a candle light march on Monday.
The residents have been protesting since June 21 against the digging of an open well in the land near Varattaru in Thamaraikulam village to irrigate 200 acres of land. Their concern is that the bore wells around the open well would affect the ground water table and deprive them of water for irrigation.