KRISHNAGIRI: People who have migrated from Kadambakuttai tribal habitation in Bettamugilalam can finally return to their homeland. Thanks to the district administration and Thalli MLA T Ramachandran, the decades-long demand to have a road from the foothills for about 2. 5 km is finally met as the rural development agency and forest department on Wednesday granted permission to re-lay earthen road under Member of Legislative Assembly Constituency Development Scheme (MLACDS). Villagers are also contributing money for the work.
According to sources, for the past seven decades, around 40 Irula families along with caste Hindus are residing in the habitation. However, due to poor road connectivity and improper transportation facility, many families left the place and migrated to other parts of the district in the past ten years. TNIE highlighted the issue on June 23.
J Murugesan, a villager welcomed this move and said, “Once maintenance of the road is completed, we can use two-wheelers to reach the foothill, where Marandahalli village is situated. Till now, we carry a patient in makeshift cradles down, but hereafter we do not need that.”
G Kumar, ward member of Kadambakuttai said, “The work will be completed within one month. Then a proposal will be sent to lay bitumen road for 7 km stretch to the village from the bottom, if the works have completed, people who have migrated to other parts of the district may return to the village.”
MLA Ramachandran said the village will get a bitumen road and he is working to get permission for this from the Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri District Forest Officers.