Tue Mar 18 16:26:30 UTC 2025: ## Sirumalai Residents Protest Panchayat Bifurcation
**Dindigul, Tamil Nadu – March 18, 2025** – Residents of Sirumalai hill in Dindigul district staged a protest today at the Dindigul Collectorate against the proposed bifurcation of their panchayat into two separate entities: Sirumalai and Thenmalai.
In a petition submitted to the Collector, residents argued that the division is impractical and unnecessary. They highlighted that Sirumalai boasts a population exceeding 1,500 voters, significantly more than Thenmalai’s less than 500. Furthermore, they pointed out that Pudur, a village within Sirumalai, already possesses essential infrastructure, including a government school, anganwadi, and ample land for government offices, as well as road access via the State Highways Department. In contrast, Thenmalai is located within a forest area, making the establishment of infrastructure difficult and impractical.
The residents emphasized that concentrating resources in Pudur, making it the administrative hub for the existing Sirumalai panchayat, would be a far more efficient and cost-effective solution than creating a second panchayat in a remote and inaccessible location. They urged the authorities to reconsider the bifurcation plan and instead focus on developing Pudur’s existing infrastructure.
First Piper 