Villagers pass a resolution against the proposed waste-to-energy plant during a grama saba meeting at Vellakalpatti in Salem district on Friday.
| Photo Credit: E. LAKSHMI NARAYANAN
Villagers of Vellakalpatti panchayat, during a gram sabha meeting held on Friday (October 2), passed a resolution against a waste-to-energy plant proposed in their area.
Gram sabhas were held across Salem and Namakkal districts on Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary on Friday.
S.K. Murthy, coordinator of the Salem Water Resources Protection Movement, said 23 panchayats, including Vellakalpatti, Karuppur, Saminaickenpatti, Mallamooppampatti, Thekkampatti, Senkaradu, and Vellalapatti, passed resolutions against the project.
Groundwater, air, and environment will be severely polluted because of the project, they feared. “Schools, colleges, hospitals, and various temples are situated near the proposed site. So, this grama sabha rejected the project, and the government should drop it,” he said.
At a grama sabha meeting held at Veeranam panchayat in Ayothiyapattinam panchayat union, District Collector K. Elambahavath said the meetings took place at all the 385 panchayats in Salem district, where development schemes of State and Union governments were explained. Awareness was spread on keeping surroundings clean in order to protect people from fevers such as dengue ahead of the monsoon, Mr. Elambahavath added.
In Namakkal District, Collector L. Madhubalan participated at a grama sabha meeting held at Bodinaickenpatti panchayat in Erumapatti panchayat union and explained the expenditure of the panchayat.
To improve the basic amenities like roads, streetlights, and drainage, the TN Vettri scheme will be inaugurated soon. Anganwadi workers, panchayat secretaries, and government officials will conduct a survey from October 7, and people should to explain their grievances.
Published – October 02, 2026 07:38 pm IST
