KRISHNAGIRI: The construction work of a stock room and kitchen hall at the Kadambakuttai tribal village in Bettamugilalam panchayat has remained halted for the past few weeks. The work on the hall, meant to be used as teachers' accommodation, was started last year following a TNIE report stating that teachers were coming late to school.
The village has 20 Irular families and 10 Irular students study at the Panchayat Union Primary School in Bettamugilalam panchayat of Kelamangalam block. Due to lack of roads and transport facility, the villagers need to trek downhill for 2.5km to access even basic amenities at the foothill. On the other side, teachers used to trek 2.5km uphill to the school and because of this many were irregular and unwilling to work at the school.
Amid this backdrop, following TNIE's article published in January 2025, then Krishnagiri Collector K M Sarayu assured a community hall or kitchen will be constructed, where teachers can also stay. Subsequently, work on a stock room with kitchen began last year at a cost of `7.5 lakh, but it has not been finished yet, with the contractor dragging the process on, alleged an official of the rural development department.
The Bettamugilalam panchayat secretary told TNIE that the wages have also not been properly given to workers. Notable, S Muneeswari, a teacher who joined the school from another district, has been resident at the two-classroom building with her newborn and husband.
When contacted, District Rural Development Agency's project director S Uma Maheswari and Krishnagiri Collector C Dinesh Kumar both assured to look into the matter. Kelamangalam Block Development Officer Rajesh was unavailable for comments.