Image Source: Hindu Tamil
The newly constructed Collector’s Office building in Tenkasi district, completed two years ago at a cost of ₹119 crore, remains unopened due to ongoing court proceedings, triggering a political blame game between the AIADMK and the DMK.
Tenkasi district was carved out of Tirunelveli in 2019. On December 10, 2020, then Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami laid the foundation stone for the Collector’s Office through video conferencing. The building, spread across 11.11 acres near the new bus stand, was completed two years ago. However, with cases pending in court over environmental clearances, the office is yet to be inaugurated. Key district administrative wings are still functioning from temporary locations.
During a recent visit to the district, Palaniswami alleged that the DMK government had deliberately failed to inaugurate the office because the project was initiated during the AIADMK’s tenure. He told the public that if the AIADMK returns to power, the building would be opened without delay.
Responding to this, former DMK South District Secretary Sivapathmanathan said the AIADMK had originally selected land between three ponds, which lacked transport access and was unsuitable. He claimed that following protests by DMK alliance parties, an alternative site was chosen. However, he alleged that the AIADMK government began construction without securing mandatory approvals from the Pollution Control Board and Environment Department, leading to the present legal complications.
Countering this, AIADMK Tenkasi South District Secretary Selvamohan Das Pandian said 75% of the work had been completed during their rule and that the office would have been opened had the AIADMK remained in power longer. He accused the DMK government of delaying the project unnecessarily and failing to expedite clearances and court proceedings.
With both parties trading charges, residents of Tenkasi say their immediate demand is for the new Collector’s Office to be opened at the earliest, instead of being caught in political crossfire.
(With inputs from Hindu Tamil)
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