Appealing to the State Government to increase their daily wages, the workers of ‘Amma Unavagam’, submitted a petition to District Collector R. Sukumar on Monday.

The petitioners said the initiatives being taken by the new government, led by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, for reinvigorating Amma Unavagams and the quality of food being served there would be of great help to the poor, the homeless, the migrant labourers, etc.

At the same time, the workers of Amma Unavagams are being given the wages of ₹325 a day as per a 2021 Government Order. Even though the prices of essential commodities had increased manifold, the Amma Unavagam workers’ wages were yet to be hiked.

“Apart from feeding our families, we’ve to take care of educational expenses of our children and the medical expenses. Hence, the government should increase the daily wages of Amma Unavagam workers to ₹700 a day,” said R. Mohan, president of Tirunelveli District Rural Development Department Employees’ Union.

A group of villagers from Mela Munneerpallam in Palayamkottai taluk submitted a petition protesting against the damage caused to a small canal carrying water from Palayam Channel to their fields. They said laying of road between Mela Munneerpallam and Puthugramam had been started via cultivable lands on both sides.

Even though this development scheme would ensure proper connectivity between two hamlets, the small canal carrying water from Palayam Channel had been badly damaged in the road laying work.

“Since this damaged canal cannot carry water any more from Palayam Channel, the Collector should instruct the officials concerned to lay the road without damaging the canal. Moreover, the damaged portion of the canal should be repaired as the farmers of Mela Muneerpallam are getting water only via this canal for irrigating their fields,” said farmer V. Paramasivan, one of the petitioners.

Seeking reopening of the case pertaining to the suspected murder of her son, one Petchiammal from JJ Nagar near Padalaiyarkulam near Nanguneri submitted a petition.

She said her son C. Suresh was in love with her neighbour’s daughter, which led to the registration of cases against him. “Against this backdrop, my son was found dead in front of my house on May 1 last. Even without any proper investigation, the body was cremated hurriedly. I suspect that my neighbour and his associates had murdered my son. Hence, the Collector should instruct the police to reopen this case and conduct proper inquiry,” Mrs. Petchiammal said.