MADURAI: Members of SC community living in Gandhinagar at Mangulam in Madurai North taluk say they are facing severe hardship due to inadequate water supply and lack of basic sanitation facilities. There are at least 100 families in the area.
P Kavitha (35), a resident, told TNIE that the area does not have amenities such as common toilets, proper road and sufficient drinking water. “We defecate in the open amid constant fear of poisonous insects and snakes. Due to this, many of us often suffer urinary tract infection and other ailments Women, especially during menstruation, face severe difficulties. ,” she said.
She further said that the overhead water tank (OHT) is in a dilapidated condition and is insufficient to meet their daily requirements. “We submitted several petitions to various authorities, including the previous collector M S Sangeetha. However, no action has been taken so far,” she added.
M Revathi, a college student, said not enough government buses are operated to their area. “TNSTC operates one bus service each in the morning and evening. At times, the buses do not turn up. As a result, we have to walk nearly 2 km to Mangulam to access bus services. There are no streetlights between Mangulam and Gandhinagar which makes travel extremely unsafe,” she said.
Chinnammal, another resident, said the villagers walk for nearly 4 km to reach Meenakshipuram to purchase commodities in the PDS shop. “Most of the time, we collectively arrange a mini-van to buy ration items. Though the State government’s Thaiumanavar scheme is implemented in our village, only one senior citizen has been included,” she said.
Block Development Officer Saraswathi acknowledged the problems and promised to take action. “A tender will be floated soon through the DRDA for the construction of a 30,000-litre overhead water tank. Similarly, works for laying paver block roads, construction of common public toilets, an anganwadi centre and arrangements for a mini-bus service are in the pipeline and will be executed soon,” she said.