TIRUNELVELI : Nearly 100 residents of intermediate castes from Nellaithiruthu and Pallikottai villages were arrested by Manur police for preventing local body and revenue officials from laying a drinking water pipeline to Alavanthankulam village, where families of a scheduled caste community reside, on Wednesday. Around 200 police personnel were deployed to avoid untoward incidents.
According to sources, a drinking water well for Nellaithiruthu, Pallikottai and Alavanthankulam villages is located in Alavanthankulam village. The residents of all three villages get water through a single pipeline.
Residents of Nellaithiruthu and Pallikottai, who belong to MBC and BC communities, reportedly get drinking water daily, while people from Alavanthankulam allegedly do not get drinking water regularly, even though the well is located in the village, due to the the topographical location.
As a result, local body officials of the Manur block decided to lay a separate pipeline to bring water to Alavanthankulam village, without affecting the water supply to Nellaithiruthu and Pallikottai, a few years ago.
However, the intermediate caste residents of these villages blocked the pipe-laying works, stating that their share of drinking water would be reduced if the pipeline was laid.
In 2020, the officials held a peace committee meeting wherein residents from the three villages agreed to the laying of new pipelines to Alavanthankulam.
Despite this, the intermediate caste residents continued to block the pipe-laying works, defying police protection. Since repeated petitions with the block development officer and the district administration went in vain, one Viyagappan, a resident of Alavanthankulam approached the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, demanding the implementation of pipe-laying works in 2023.
Contractor S Margrate, who was given the contract to carry out the works, approached the court in 2024. In an order passed on February 19, the high court directed the officials to finish the pipe-laying works within two weeks.
When the revenue and local body officials began the works on Wednesday, the intermediate caste residents of Nellaithiruthu and Pallikottai once again halted the works. Two residents allegedly attempted to self-immolate in protest, while others stopped the excavators.
After nearly 100 residents were arrested, the officials resumed the work. To avoid arrest, many villagers went back to their villages and the pipe-laying works continued till evening.