THOOTHUKUDI: Residents of Kakan nagar of Thirukallur panchayat near Alwarthirunagari, comprising 45 families, live in the dark as power supply has not yet been restored in the village. The families still live in knee-deep water and have been cooking on a common platter.
Arumugam, a construction worker who cooks for the residents, said the villagers stay in their relatives' house at night and at a mandapam maintained by a temple in neighbouring Anna Nagar. "They return to the hamlet stagnated with water during the day.
Civic officials have not drained the water. Besides, power supply has not been restored for the past 13 days. On the day of the flood, the village located on the southern banks of the river Thamirabarani had water up to eight feet. The water engulfed the village following breach in the canals, and mainly because of the breaks in two nearby ponds," he added.
Except for the three houses built under Chief Minister's Green House Scheme, all other houses do not have concrete roofs. "There is nothing to recover from the shattered settlements. We have lost everything including land documents, ration cards, identity cards, certificates, and school textbooks, as we escaped just with the dress we were wearing", said another resident.
Arumugam said the village has sufficient welfare materials and groceries provided by volunteers, philanthropists and NGOs. I cook three times a day to feed 180 people altogether in a common place, he added. "My house was inundated and completely damaged. It is an asbestos house that could not withstand the heavy rain on December 17 and 18," said a woman.