DHARMAPURI: Tribal residents of Sarukkuparai in Pennagaram taluk have urged the district administration to ensure clean drinking water, roads, drainage facilities, proper electricity connection and other basic amenities in their hamlet.
Located deep within the Hogenakkal Forest Range, the tribal hamlet of Sarukkalparai houses over 40 tribal families, who made it their home after the government provided housing units for them here 10 years ago. However, they still lack basic amenities such as clean drinking water, drains, roads and even power supply. Even the housing units provided by the government are also in severely dilapidated conditions, and many families have made temporary enclosures and are living outside their homes.
Speaking to TNIE, B Rangan from Sarukkuparai village, said, “Ten years ago, 30 families were provided housing units, built at a cost of Rs 1.80 lakh each. Later in 2018-19, 10 other families were provided housing units for Rs 2.50 lakh each. The housing units provided to us are on the verge of collapse. Many people have used palm and coconut leaves, and tarpaulins to construct makeshift enclosures to reside in. We have completely abandoned the housing units. The restrooms provided here have also stopped being usable.”
S Krishnan, a villager, said, “We have no water supply in our village. We have been collecting water from Chinnar River. Though we were provided pipelines under the Jal Jeevan scheme, they are also non-functional because of faulty borewells. Now with water reserves alarmingly low, we do not know what to do?”
P Santhi from the village said, “There is no proper power connection, and each house only has one light bulb. If we attempt to plug in anything more, we lose power. The low voltage situation has resulted in our children education being affected. Only a few solar streetlights are functional, but they offer little to no visibility. Many of the adults here lack birth certificates and community certificates, and cannot even apply for many schemes. As there are no roads and we live in a forest with wildlife movement, many children also do not attend schools. We need roads to ensure a good future for our children.”
When TNIE alerted Collector V Saravanan, he had eputed a team to look into the issues. He said, “Ten years ago, houses were built under a rural development scheme, but they later became part of the town panchayat. We have sought exemptions to take steps to renovate the homes under the rural development scheme.”
Further, he said, “Borewells here are not functional, and temporary arrangements will be made by the block development office. Efforts will also be taken to construct a new borewell, and the power issues will also be rectified.”