17 years on, this Tamil Nadu government school electrified thanks to Lok Sabha polls

COIMBATORE: A government middle school at Dhoomanur in Thadagam reserve forest near Anaikatti, which was functioning without electricity for the past 17 years, has finally got electricity connection thanks to the Lok Sabha election. As district administration has set up a polling booth in the school, electricity connection was provided to the school on Friday.

According to the source, there are three tribal hamlets, including Dhoomanur, Chembukarai, and Kattusalai (Milagayampathi), inside Thadagam reserve forest area in Periyanaickenpalayam block. Nearly 150 tribal families are living there and 48 children from these three hamlets are studying at government middle school at  Dhoomanur. Only in 2016, the district administration gave electricity to these tribal hamlets. However, electricity connection was not give to the school, due to various reasons.

“People from these three hamlets were casting their votes at a polling booth in  government tribal residential high school in Anaikatti, which is 11 km away. To avoid this, the district administration set up polling both in Dhoomanur school during the last assembly election. However, school did not get electricity connection. Even during the last assembly election, electricity connection was not available in the polling booth. The election officials used generator. As a result, some disruption had occurred in the booth during polling. To avoid such problems this time, the district administration has given the electricity supply to the Dhoomanur school on Friday, in view of the Lok Sabha election,” sources added.

Dhoomanur school headmaster T Shanmugasundaram speaking to Express said, “The school was started with the five classrooms in 2002. At present 47 students are studying in the school. For the past 17 years, the school had been functioning without power supply. Later, in 2014, we installed one solar power system to power lights, fans, etc, in the classroom.”

“Due to inadequate sunlight during rainy and winter sessions, the solar power system was of little use. Now, we have got electricity connections to our school from the district administration. Teachers and students are very happy,” he said.

‘Last time, generator used at booth caused trouble’

The district administration set up polling both in Dhoomanur school during the last assembly election. However, the school did not get electricity connection. Even during the last assembly election, electricity connection was not available in the polling booth. The officials used generator. As a result, some disruption had occurred in the booth during polling. To avoid such problems this time, the officials have given the electricity supply to the school now, said sources.