VELLORE: It's a long walk for us, for everything, said 47-year-old Chinnathayi from Thellai tribal hamlet in Vellore. "We have to walk for 10 kilometres to get groceries from kirana shops and PDS, and carry it back on our heads. This will take a whole day. If there is rain, then we're cut off from the outer world," she said. For months, kanji without salt and spice will be our diet, some other days we stay hungry, Chinnathayi added.
Chinnathayi is among the thousands of tribal residents of Thellai, Pudur, Kanchi, Mutha Kudusai, Patti Kudisai, Erimedu, Chinna Thattankuttai and other hamlets at Kaniyambadi block that trek through arduous paths and cross 11 river streams to reach their homes. These villages, situated in the Jawadhu hill range, lack road connectivity. Even light showers make their trip more challenging as the streams flood frequently.
The recent incident of the death of a newborn emphasises the issues faced by them. A 20-year-old woman, Vijaya, gave birth to a baby during the wee hours of May 14. The newborn was taken to the nearest Kathalambattu Primary Healthcare Center (PHC), which is 14 kms away, through the Nganathi to Thellai. Two days later, the baby developed health complications and was rushed to the Government Vellore Medical College Hospital (GVMC), Adukkamparai. Eventually, the baby succumbed to an infection on May 17 morning, said doctors.
Locals blamed the lack of roads and medical facilities for the baby's death."The water level across the road was very high and we could not go to the hospital. The ambulance can't enter the area, so I gave birth at home," Vijaya told TNIE. My baby would have been alive if my village had a road, she asserts.
Six months ago, another baby died after the mother slipped down and got hurt on this road, the villagers said. Carrying pregnant women and sick people in doli (makeshift stretcher) is a routine affair here, said Poosiyamma, a villager.
Meanwhile, Chennai-based gynaecologist Dr Shanthi said unsterile equipment used in the home birth could have caused an infection. The lack of access to healthcare including transportation is one of the major reasons for maternal mortality, she added.
Education and economic improvement of the tribal communities are also impacted by the lack of roads. The Government Adi Dravidar Welfare Residential Primary school in Thellai is not functioning properly, the villagers alleged.
"The teachers do not visit the school regularly. They attend twice a week or sometimes even less. The food is served only in the afternoons as opposed to three times a day," a resident said, on condition of anonymity. Many parents have admitted their children to residential schools at Vellore and Ranipet. "Those with financial means have sent their children to study outside but others cannot afford that, so there are many dropouts after Class 5 here," another parent said.
According to residents, no objection certificates from the forest department for paving the temporary gravel road has been pending for over three months. The plans to build a permanent road face hurdles as there is a need to build 11 bridges across the streams.
Roads will be laid soon to the tribal hamlets around Thellai, Anaicut MLA AP Nandhakumar told TNIE. "They will be laid under the Centre-State funds and I have sought Tribal Welfare funds for this project," he added. However, the project is yet to take off.
Responding to TNIE's queries, Vellore District Forest Officer Prince Kumar said, "We have received the application for construction of bridges for streams only in the last week and we are working on that." The permission for road formation will be provided very soon, Kumar added.