Summons issued to MK Alagiri

Madurai, Dec 28: Union minister M K Alagiri has been summoned by the district collector in connection with complaints by some farmers that silting of a nearby channel and constructing buildings of an engineering college owned by his family trust had affected agricultural operations in the area.

Officials today said U Sagayam, in his summons issued on December 23, had asked the minister or his representative to be present before him on January 4 to give his version of the revenue department reports and complaints by local farmers associations on the matter.

The Dhaya Engineering College is run by the M K Alagiri Educational Trust. Summons were also issued to DMK functionary Thalapathy, a close aide of Alagiri, to explain as to how he had constructed a wedding hall in the land acquired by the government in 1952 for construction of a park in the GST Road near here. He has been asked to be present on the same day.

The Church of South India Archbishop Christopher Asir has also been summoned on that day for selling a CSI Trust property allegedly violating the conditions laid out in the will under which the trust was formed, officials said.

The trustees of a labour welfare school belonging to a private textile mill have also been asked to be present on January 4 to explain their decision on converting the school building into a shopping mall.

PTI