KRISHNAGIRI: Thalli MLA T Ramachandran distributed birth certificates to 203 children of Bettamugilalam panchayat at an event held in Siddhapuram tribal village on Saturday. According to sources, many tribal students in Bettamugilalam panchayat don’t have birth certificates. So, in September 2021, a team of 30 health department staff from Unichetti Primary Health Centre, with the support of the revenue department and Anganwadi workers started collecting data and applying for birth certificates.
A few months back, MLA Ramachandran contributed Rs 2.50 lakh for paying late fee charges and other procedures while applying for birth certificates, said sources. Kelamangalam Block Medical Officer C Rajesh Kumar said, “Now, around 203 children have received birth certificates in the village and among them, 117 births were at home.”
Speaking at the event held at Siddhapuram Panchayat Union Middle School, he said, “I appreciate the health department and Anganwadi staff for their contribution to getting birth certificates for tribal people.”
He also said that child marriage is still rampant in Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts, especially in Thalli and Kelamangalam tribal blocks. “Parents shouldn’t see girl child as a burden and marry them off at a young age, instead, they must be educated,” he said.
He further said that around 900 households that don’t have a power connection in the Thalli constituency. Last week, 19 houses received power connections in Gudisaiyur village and the remaining houses will get power connections soon. Officials including Deputy Director of Health Services G Ramesh Kumar part in the event.