Government appoints Special Officer to administer Pennington Public Library in Srivilliputtur
A Government Order has been issued appointing an officer in the rank of Deputy Registrar of Societies as the Special Officer of the 150-year-old Pennington Public Library in Srivilliputtur on Monday.
The District Registrar (Administration), Sivaganga, V.P. Kavinilavu, has been appointed as the Special Officer.
However, the present administrative committee, led by the vice-president, V. Muthu Battar and secretary, A.M.M. Radha Sankar, did not allow the Special Officer to take charge of the library.
'When the officer came here with an order to take charge, we refused to permit her as the present administrative committee has not received any such order to hand over the charge,' said Mr. Muthu Battar.
The committee has sought 10 days to hand over the charge, he added.
However, Srivilliputtur Tahsildar, V. Balamurugan, who had accompanied the Special Officer, said that she had assumed office immediately. 'The committee has sought time only to hand over the charge,' he added.
The district administration said that simmering differences between two groups had led to the interference of the Government, Mr. Muthu Battar claimed that no such tug of war existed.
The previous administrative committee that was in charge for six long years as against the by-law that stipulated only three-year term had vacated the office.
'We assumed office only six months back,' he said.
The committee had got a stay order against the Collector, who is also the ex-officio president of the library committee, in interfering with the administration. However, Collector V.P. Jeyaseelan had demanded various details like properties under the administration of the library and the revenue generated through them and the expenses incurred for running the library.
'We got a stay against the Collector's letter seeking these details,' he added.
Menawhile, the G.O. said that in view of the prevailing confusion as both rival factions were competing with each other to take over the administrative panel, the Special Officer had been appointed to set right the administration.
The library started in the British era in 1875 was celebrating its 150 years in 2025.
It has got a rich collection of over 69,000 books in Tamil and English along with over 4,000 rare books in both languages.
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