KRISHNAGIRI: The lack of an easily accessible water source has forced tribal people in Masthappan Doddi village in Thalli block to walk about 100 metres daily to the nearest available source.
They demanded the installation of a water tank in the village which is part of the Achubalam Panchayat of Denkanikottai taluk.
M Madhu (22), a resident, told TNIE that the village has about 60 tribal families.
"Though we have a borewell and a mini-water tank we need to walk for over 100 metres to fetch water from a water tank. It is not easy to walk carrying water pots to our houses. My grandmother and parents are struggling daily to fetch water. The issue was already raised before the Achubalam panchayat secretary Chenneerappa, but he failed to redress it. The issue was taken to the Krishnagiri district administration last month but still the problem persists."
Seconding him, another villager, A Mahesh (28) said "We do get water regularly in the morning. We fetch water from the mini-tank for drinking water and go to a nearby lake for washing clothes. The authorities should solve the water shortage by building a new water tank."
Achubalam panchayat secretary Chenneerappa refuted the issue when TNIE contacted him.
"Already there are two mini-tanks in the village for 24 houses, which is sufficient and people are not walking over 30 metre to fetch water," he said.
However, he said "there are insufficient funds to erect a mini-water tank to the village. If there is a necessity for a pipeline it can be laid."
Madhu, however, rebutted the panchayat secretary's offer, saying: "He had assured to lay a pipeline through a slope but now he has refused our demand."
He also reminded that about 50 families have applied for the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.