ARIYALUR: The joy of Kuzhumur village residents in the district when their years-long demand for paved roads was finally taken up a few months ago was short-lived, as a section of them allege caste discrimination behind one such road being left incomplete.
The years-long demand of the 200-odd families at Thanthai Periyar Nagar in Kuzhumur for proper roads was heeded to two months ago when funds were allocated towards their construction in the locality. Accordingly, a road with drainage canals reportedly amounting to `15.50 lakh was laid on the 10th street in the locality. However, the portion of the road was left unpaved where those hailing from the Scheduled Caste Community reside, it is alleged.
The members of the community, including Narikuravas and Arundhathiyars, raised the issue with the Kuzhumur panchayat president and the road contractor, but no action was claimed to have been taken.
While one another road in the locality has been laid fully and more are being laid, the one left incomplete has led to suffering for residents in the stretch owing to stagnation in front of their houses following the monsoon rains.
K Jayanthi, a resident, said, "Roads have not been laid here for many years. We were happy with the new road being laid. But the joy did not last as authorities have cleverly left the road unpaved only in front of our houses. It is reprehensible that they did this because we belong to a Scheduled Community. I do not know where to lodge a complaint on this."
"The authorities have laid the road completely in the neighbouring street. Why then didn’t they do the same for us? When we asked the authorities, they replied without respect. The District Collector should intervene and take immediate action," she added.
Another resident, P Amutha Kannan, said, "Authorities are negligent without paving the roads because we are from the Scheduled Community.” “Owing to the stagnation in front of our houses, we and our children wade through it to reach the road. Also, insects enter the houses daily. In 2015, a six-year-old was bitten by a snake and died," she rued.
When contacted, Sendurai Block Development Officer J Amirthalingam said, "We could not lay the road in front of certain houses due to rains. There is no other reason. We will take steps to complete the road in the stretch."