BDO locked up over hydrocarbon stir

According to sources, the meeting at Ambalapattu village near Orathanadu witnessed a heated argument between officials and the residents when the villagers passed a resolution against hydrocarbon extraction project. Block Development Officer (BDO) Bala Dhandayutham, who was the special officer presiding the meeting in which the villagers passed the resolution, was then asked to proceed with the resolution. However, the BDO denied and the irate residents then raised slogans against him and locked him up in the meeting hall.

Meanwhile, on information,the Pappanadu police rushed to the spot and pacified the villagers. However, they refused to relent and the BDO later announced the withholding of the gram sabha meet and signed the note. The villagers also counter-signed it.

Similarly, the meeting was held in as many as 589 village panchayats and in a majority of those meetings, the officials refused to accept the hydrocarbon resolution.