Tribalfolk carry corpse for 8 km to perform last rites in Tamil Nadu's Thenakanthur

SALEM: A recent post widely circulated on social media showing residents of Thenakanthur, a tribal settlement, at Palamalai in the district carrying a corpse for nearly 8 km for performing last rites has once again turned the spotlight on the hardships faced by them owing to a lack of road facilities in the locality.

The photographs show people traversing a rugged mud road, carrying a woman's corpse, to perform her last rites at Mettur town.

Commenting on the plight of the tribal residents, CPML leader K Varatharajan said, "For the past one decade we have been urging the Salem administration to facilitate roads for the development of tribal settlements in Palamalai. To access the main road to Mettur from Thenakanthur, people must undertake an arduous trek of about 8 km to the base of the hill, then walk another 2 km to reach the bus stand for medical or personal needs. We urge the collector to meet the residents and assure them of road facilities in the settlement."

Mentioning many tribal settlements as facing a similar situation,  Tamilarasan, a resident of PK Pudur - the other settlement in Palamalai, said, "We have been requesting the administration for new roads. Even the mud road that is currently in use was laid by the tribal residents themselves. The Forest Department and the district administration have neglected the people here."

When enquired, revenue department officials said that Palamalai lies deep within the forest area and added that it is hence not possible to lay roads there. To lay roads special permission is required from the environment ministry, they added, and declined to comment further.

Forest Department sources, echoing a similar view, said that the request of the residents in Palamalai have already been taken up and added that efforts are on to provide them with roads. District Collector Karmegam is also focusing on the welfare of the settlements, they added.