TIRUNELVELI/TENKASI: Over 900 people, belonging to caste Hindu community, of Nellaithiruthu village in Tirunelveli constituency boycotted the Lok Sabha election, citing drinking water shortage as a result of a separate pipeline that was laid to provide water to the scheduled caste community in Alavanthakulam village.
Both caste Hindu residents of Nellaithiruthu and SC residents of Alavanthakulam villages were being supplied drinking water from a single pipeline connected to a common public well. While Nellaithiruthu villagers got sufficient water, those in Alavanthankulam did not. A couple of months ago, the officials concerned attempted to lay a separate pipeline to Alavanthankulam. This irked the Nellaithiruthu villagers, who had protested against laying of a separate pipeline. With the support of around 200 police personnel, however, local body officials had successfully laid the pipeline to Alavanthankulam.
This incident left Nellaithiruthu villagers irate. As a result, more than 900 villagers belonging to an intermediate caste boycotted the election on Friday.
M Pauldurai, a resident of Nellaithiruthu, told TNIE that the separate pipeline to Alavanthankulam had caused drinking water shortage in his area. Meanwhile, in Tenkasi constituency, over 1,000 residents of K Karisalkulam village boycotted the election citing lack of road, drainage, and street light facilities. The residents also alleged that the officials had failed to remove a liquor shop near their village despite repeated requests. Moreover, over 1,000 voters of Irumankulam village in Tenkasi constituency boycotted the election against running of a stone quarry near their village.