PUDUKOTTAI: It is 2019, but for the people of Thachanvayal in Kaikurichi, the village is stuck in the 1900s. There are no pucca roads connecting the village to the nearby towns of Kaikurichi or Kadaikudi.
This village is home to 40 families and 150 people.
Their source of income is farming and labour. Children attend the government school in Kadaikudi. What
should be a 10-minute journey is an arduous trek for children and parents because there is no road.
The children have to cross a river, wading through waist-deep water to reach school. Younger children have to be carried by parents or grandparents.
“We are totally helpless and have been living like this for decades. Our children have to cross this river to reach school. The other option is to take a route which is about 3-km longer, to school, which takes almost
an hour on these poor roads. Our children end up reaching school at 10 am, missing two periods and falling back in their studies,” said Jothimani, a Thachanvayal resident.
The same route has to be taken to go to the ration shop, bus stop, hospital or any other basic amenity. They have to go to town even to buy a loaf of bread, milk or biscuits. The villagers say going to the ration shop is a daylong affair for them and they have to come back with their groceries through the river.
They also complain of skin allergies because of frequent contact with water. When it rains, they say it is almost impossible to go through the river.
They are demanding a bridge across the river. They also want a road, as they say the road was built 20 years ago and despite countless petitions to the panchayat union, no action has been taken.
“Sending children to school is a big struggle for us. We wake up at 4 am to ensure they reach school on time. We also have jobs to go to, without which we would have no income for the day. Our children cry daily because they miss classes in school. We need a bridge and a road,” said Chinnaponnu, another resident.
The residents allege the only time politicians visit the village is during elections. “Politicians just pay lip service. I had to endure this same problem when I studied. I have crossed this river for eight years to go to school. I feel so sad the next generation is going through it as well. Even if we are sick, we have to cross this stretch of water,” said Nandini, a resident.
They also want a ration shop and Anganwadi in the village itself.