A consultative meeting convened by the district administration with residents of Kadiramangalam, who have been protesting against ONGC operations in the village, drew a lukewarm response on Tuesday with just a handful of the villagers participating in it.
Although government officials and those from the ONGC had come in advance, the villagers did not turn up for long. Only a few attended the meeting, which was held at Tiruvidaimarudur taluk office with police protection. They later left for the village with police protection.
A. Annadurai, Collector, presided over the meeting which was attended by Kulbir Singh, Executive Director-Asset Manager, ONGC Cauvery Asset, Karaikal, and J. Mahesh, Superintendent of Police, and officials from health and revenue departments. Some among those who participated in the meeting, urged the district administration to create awareness among people of the activities and operations of the ONGC in their area. They also urged the authorities to ensure protected drinking water to them, besides other facilities.
A few other villagers complained that ever since the ONGC started its operations in their area, there was a shortage of drinking water which had got polluted as well. The activities and operations of the ONGC should be clearly explained to the people by organising a gram sabha meeting, they said.
Some of the participants wanted the ONGC to move out from the village as drinking water and agriculture had got affected. Establishment of a primary health centre at the village, a high school and a nationalised bank besides dredging of channel were among the other demands placed by the villagers at the meeting.
Mr. Annadurai said normality had returned to Kadiramangalam, police personnel withdrawn. Necessary steps would be taken by the district administration to allay the fears of the villagers. Steps would be taken to provide drinking water to the people by sinking new bore wells, he added.
