Locals of Ketti town panchayat flay merger with Ooty urban body

COIMBATORE: Hundreds of people from over 16 villages took out a silent protest march against merger of Ketti Town Panchayat with Udhagamandalam Municipality for its proposed upgradation into a corporation.

The villagers took out the march for a distance of around five kilometers from Ketti to Yellanhalli. Before, they gathered at ‘Hethai Amman’ temple to discuss the consequence of merging Ketti Town Panchayat and its subsequent upgradation into a corporation.

The villagers were apprehensive of an increase in various levies including property tax and water charges.

“If our town panchayat gets merged, the villagers have to forgo several benefits. Schemes for economically weaker sections like the 100 day MGNREGA scheme will be stopped. Therefore, the government should stop the merger for up-gradation into corporation,” said Ramesh, a convenor of the protest. People in several panchayats have been on a series of protests against the proposed upgrade. Residents of Ithalar, Nanjanad, Doddabetta and ‘Ullathi’ grama panchayat had recently held a signature campaign, while shops downed shutters in protest recently in Ithalar panchayat.

Following widespread protests, the authorities have taken up the task of elucidating people that if the Udhagamandalam Municipality is upgraded into a corporation by including more areas, then schemes could be implemented with better funding to improve the local economy and livelihood of the local community.