TIRUNELVELI: It has been five years since they started living in their house in Ravishankar Nagar in Palayamkottai, but the family of four are yet to call it their home. Reason - the high-tension line above the house has been denied an electricity connection.
Ask Marimuthu (41), who runs a drinking-water-supply business, he would say he constructed the house in 2017 after getting approval for the building and plan from the Panchayat Union. He has also been paying taxes for the house. "I have submitted at least 20 petitions in this regard to the authorities concerned but no action has been taken yet. The officials said the 11KV line passing above the house should be re-routed, and for that, they need a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from my neighbour as the line is passing above his land as well," he said.
Marimuthu's wife, Pechiammal said the lack of power connection is affecting the studies of their two daughters, aged 10 and 11. "They were unable to attend online classes. We charge the phone during the night by connecting it to the battery of the mini lorry we own," she said.
However, when contacted, senior official Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) assured to address the issue on Monday.