COIMBATORE: Around 150 families in Chembakolli, a tribal settlement in Devarshola, are waiting for seven years for a bitumen road.
According to sources, in 2015, the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) of Gudalur had directed the Executive Officer (EO) of Devarshola Town Panchayat and District Forest Officer (DFO) of Gudalur Forest Division to lay the road through the forest area to the hamlet.
The length of the road between Bospara-Changli gate to Baby Nagar is just two km, but it runs close to the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR).
M Suresh, a resident, told The New Indian Express, "We have been demanding authorities to convert the mud road into tar road under The Forest Right Act 2006 (The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers and Recognition of forest rights) as people, especially school-going children are facing many difficulties during rainy season. "
M Radha, head of Chembakolli gram sabha, said "We cannot move to hospital in an ambulance or jeep since the road turns slushy during rainy days. There have been incidents when vehicles got stuck in the slush and people had to push them out. We have to walk more than two km to reach baby Nagar where buses stop."
"Though the MTR is located adjacent to our settlement, only few elephants, spotted deer and gaur enter into our village since the forest department had laid Elephant Proof Trenches (EPT) for two km distance bordering our settlement," she said
M Kirumaran another resident, said "We have been approaching panchayat and forest department officials for the last seven years. Every time, they assure us that they will carry out the work soon. But nothing has happened so far.
"On November 23, 2020, MN Venugopal EO of Devarshola Town Panchayat has sent a letter to the Gudalur Forest range officer requesting him to give permission. However no improvement yet," said Suresh
When contacted Sekar. work inspector of Devarshola town Panchayat told The New Indian Express that Rs 50 lakh was allotted in 2015 under Hill Area Development Programme (HADP) to lay concrete road. "But we found that the road comes under reserve forest and sought permission from the forest department."
Gudalur DFO Kommu Omkaram did not respond to calls and text messages. When contacted, Nilgiris district Collector SP Amrith said he will look into the issue.