Sivakasi Corporation limit expands with annexure of nine rural local bodies

Sivakasi City set to expand six times with annexure of nine rural local bodies, justified by population growth and urbanization.

With the State Government issuing a Government Order for annexure of nine rural local bodies for expansion of Sivakasi City, the Corporation limits is all set to expand more than six times.

Formation of Sivakasi Corporation was first announced by the then Chief Minister, Edappadi K. Palaniswami, in 2017 at the MGR Centenary Celebrations by proposing to merge the two municipalities of Sivakasi and Tiruthangal and nine village panchayats.

The Corporation came into being on October 21, 2021 without the nine village panchayats as by then the elected bodies were in place in the rural local bodies.

Since, the term of the elected representatives would end now, the Government has proposed to include the village panchayats of Anaiyur, Sithurajapuram, Viswanatham, Naranapuram, Pallapatti, Saminatham, Sengamalanachiyarpuram, Thevarkulam and Anuppankulam.

The city with 48 wards has got a geographical area of 19.89 square km -- Sivakasi municipal area of 5.89 sq km and Tiruthangal municipal with 13 sq km.

However, on expansion, the city would have an area of 121.82 sq km. with Pallpatti panchayat alone having 22.58 sq km of area. The area of other panchayats (in sq km) is Anaiyur 18.34; Sithurajapuram 9.49; Viswantham 9.99; Naranapuram 9.61; Saminatham 12.98; Sengamalanachiyarapuram 7.92; Thevarkulam 4.12 and Anuppankulam 6.90 sq km.

The district administration has justified the annexure of these rural local bodies with the Corporation claiming that there has been an increase in population and number of households, reduction in cultivable area and rapid urbanisation. The proximity of these local bodies to the Corporation is also cited as a reason.