The shops remain closed against Municipal Tax issue in Tiruchendur on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Protesting the steep hike in property tax, the traders downed shutters of their business establishments in this coastal town and hoisted black flags on Tuesday even as the Minister for Municipal Administration K.N. Nehru was here to inspect the ongoing preparations for the consecration of Lord Subramaniya Swami Temple to be held on July 7.

After their talks with the Tiruchendur municipality on reducing the property tax failed, the traders’ associations and other organisations decided to lay siege to the urban civic body after closing down their shops on Tuesday (June 17). Barring the pharmacies, all the shops, including the shops on the temple premises, had been closed as part of the protest. The protesting traders also hoisted black flags at several places of Tiruchendur.

When the traders, as decided earlier, took-out the procession to lay siege to the Tiruchendur municipality office, they were invited to meet Mr. Nehru to air their grievance. Led by president of the struggle committee Durai Singh, the protestors held talks with the minister, who told them that the property tax had been increased as per Government Order 52.

“If the tax has been hiked in violation of this order, you can represent your case with the municipality officials and get it rectified,” Mr. Nehru said. As the protestors were dissatisfied with the minister’s response, they were asked to hold talks with Regional Director of Municipal Administration Vijayalakshmi, who was also there.

When she told the traders that she would forward the traders’ demand to the State Government, the protestors asked her to put on hold the property tax hike until the final decision on their demand was taken. However, Ms. Vijayalakshmi replied that the tax hike could not be suspended.

Upset over this, the traders informed the officials that they would close down their shops on July 7 when several lakhs of devotees converge at Tiruchendur for the temple consecration.

Following the traders’ protest, the devotees suffered a lot on Tuesday with the hotels and the shops remain closed.

In protest against the property tax hike, th efishermen of Amali Nagar and Alanthalai struck work on Tuesday.