TIRUPPUR: The absence of road forced a tribal family in a hilly hamlet in Udumalaipet to carry a pregnant woman in a makeshift cradle through the forest three kilometres to the nearest village and then reach a health centre in the plains on Monday afternoon.
According to sources, the husband and relatives of an eight-month pregnant woman carried her in a cradle tied to bamboo poles on their shoulders after she complained of pain, They walked through the forest area for more than several hours to reach the foothills and arranged a vehicle.
Nagammal (22), a resident Kuzhi Patti hamlet was suffering labour pain for the past two days. On Monday, family members decided to take her to Udumalaipet GH or PHC in Erisanampatti. The nearest village from where they could arrange a vehicle is Kurumalai which is 3.5 kilometres away but the road was muddy. The family planned to reach Thirumoorthy Hill settlement, and then arrange a vehicle to the PHC in Erisanampatti, which is 15 kilometres away. They took the forest route through mountain slopes, which for around seven kilometres through Ponnan Amman Solai. The family used four sarees to make a cradle and tied it to large sticks. The stick was carried by relatives. The men struggled through the rough terrain and walked more than 3 hours. They reached Udumalaipet Government Hospital around 6 pm’.
Speaking to TNIE, Tamil Nadu Hill Tribes Association - Treasurer N Manikandan said,”There are more than 3,000 people living in 15 tribal settlements in Udumalaipet taluk. But lack of road to reach the nearest medical facility is a big problem. There are more than 170 families in Kuzhi Patti. All of them belong to Malai Pulaiya community.”
Murugan a tribal said ”There are no roads to connect tribal settlements in Udumalaipet as much of the area falls under the Anamalai tiger reserve. Besides, all roads are filled with rocks and pathholes. No road has been laid so far in any of the tribal settlements. Not just ambulance even bikes can’t move in those roads which are filled with rocks and poth holes.”
An official in the Tiruppur district administration said ,’A proposal to build a road between Kurumalai and Thirumoorthy malai settlement has been approved by Dhali Town Panchayat at the cost of Rs 49 lakh. The work is underway and rocks are being levelled. But the tribals chose to use a mountain route to reach PHC in Erichanampatti. We are monitoring the situation.”