KRISHNAGIRI: 44 Irulas from 11 families in Kamarajar Nagar near Singarapettai in Uthangarai taluk are living without power connection and other basic amenities for over two decades. Saraswati Vijayan (36), panchayat president of Vellakuttai, said, “We are staying in thatched-roof houses. When it rains, water enters our house and the wall of my house collapsed on Monday for the second time in two years. Revenue department officials did not take steps to repair the house.”
She added that department officials visited the house on Monday evening after the issue was brought to the notice of district administration.
“Even though the revenue department has identified a piece of land in Kamarajar Nagar for us two years ago and promised they would allot three cents to each family, but it is yet to be allotted to us,” she said.
Another villager, G Malliga (65), said, “We have to depend on an open well for water and we have to bring water from caste Hindu locality nearby. We request the administration to provide proper houses with basic amenities to us.”
Uthangarai tahsildar C Govindaraj said a proposal has been sent to the district administration seeking land allocation and. Distict Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Officer G Gopu ( in - charge) said he would inspect the spot next week. Collector Dr V Jaya Chandra Bhanu Reddy said he was aware of the issue and that would look into it.