NAMAKKAL: Yet another election is round the corner with the Assembly elections to be held on May 16 in one phase in Tamil Nadu, but the long pending demands of the hill dwellers of Bodhamalai located near Rasipuram in Namakkal district remain unfulfilled.
With about 300 families living in the three hamlets – Keelur, Melur and Kedamalai – located in Bodhamalai, the residents of Bodhamalai continue to clamour for basic amenities, including road connectivity from the plains, a higher secondary school and a primary health centre (PHC).
According to Thangarasu, a tribal activist, “We have been demanding the construction of a road from Vadugam to the hills for a long time. A year ago, the authorities conducted some surveys, but nothing materialised.”
The tribals were jubilant when the government sanctioned a primary health centre for Bodhamalai but were disappointed when the PHC ended up being constructed on the plains at Kallankulam as there was no road connectivity to the hills. “Since there is no health centre, if anyone falls ill, we have to carry them on our shoulders, until we reach the plains from where we get a vehicle,” rued Annamalai of Melur.
Without a higher secondary school, the children have to trek through difficult terrain of about 8 km. The younger kids do not have to bear the burden yet as all three hamlets have elementary schools. “Children studying in higher secondary schools in Pudupalayam and Rasipuram have to walk 8 km to reach the plains and take a bus to get to their respective institutions. Authorities should take steps to establish a higher secondary school in any one of the hills,” said Pichamuthu of Kedamalai.
Fortunately, the tribals say the villages in the hills were electrified in 2011. Both the AIADMK and DMK leaders have been claiming credit for bringing electric power to the hills. However, Thangarasu recalled, “Power supply was brought to our hamlets in the end of 2011, months after the AIADMK came to power, ending years of deprivation.”
The hill dwellers rued that politicians made big promises during the elections and later forget to honour their commitment.
“We hope the newly elected government will pay attention to our demands and provide us with basic facilities,” a resident from Keelur said.
A heavy task is awaiting poll personnel who will be conducting the polling in Kedamalai as they have the arduous task of climbing the hills together with the poll materials which also have to be carried on the head by the tribals. No one denies that this is going to be a strenuous job.