Villagers, mainly farmers and petty traders, protested on the Arakkonam–Sholinghur Main Road Friday against the proposed Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) planned by the Sholinghur municipality at Udayarpalayam hamlet in Ranipet district.
The residents expressed concerns about the plant’s location near agricultural lands and water bodies, fearing pollution could harm groundwater quality, farming, and the local environment.
Udayarpalayam, part of Pandiyanallur village panchayat under the Sholinghur panchayat union, has about 1,500 residents who largely depend on agriculture and petty trade. Villagers noted that nearby communities rely on groundwater for farming and worried the plant might contaminate local water resources, including the Palar River, a vital water source in the area.
The protesters demanded the Sholinghur municipality reconsider the site and find a more suitable location within its limits. Farmer K. Raman said the plant should not be built where villages heavily depend on groundwater and agriculture. The protest highlights the community’s concerns about balancing sewage-treatment infrastructure with protecting water resources, farmland, and residents’ livelihoods.
