VIRUDHUNAGAR: Residents of Vellur village near Sivakasi have raised complaints about the lack of basic facilities such as graveyard, damaged roads and poor maintenance of water tanks. The village has around 1,700 houses, among which a community of SC people does not have basic facilities in their graveyard, they said.
Madhavan E (22), a resident of Vellur East, said they had to hire a JCB for digging a burial ground owing to the wet soil due to rain. "Due to the lack of facilities, we have to wait for hours to cremate the body of the deceased," he said. Another resident said they cannot walk to school during rainy days.
M Velmurugan, a social activist from the village, said, "The funds are not being utilized for the necessary development in the village. A petition was sent to the NHRC, which directed authorities to take action in eight weeks. However, no measures have been taken so far."
Vellur Panchayat President Eswaran said they have sent proposals for the burial ground and that following approval, work would start. "Since the burial ground is in porombokke land, we have been taking measures to provide land for the cremation," he said. The Block Development Officer Devasirvatham assured to look into the issue.