MADURAI: An electricity connection has evaded a scheduled caste (SC) family's house in Melur taluk's Pudupatti for the past nine years, all because their neighbours, who belong to a dominant community, allegedly objected to the installation of an EB pole on a common pathway.
Revealing her plight, K Meenakshi (30) said that her neighbours, who maintain that they own the land around her house, erected a fence blocking an entrance pathway and denied space to install an electric pole.
Speaking to TNIE, the daily wage labourer, said, "Several years ago, my husband Kumar and I bought a plot in Pudupatti of Attakudi panchayat and constructed a small tiled-roof house. When we attempted to get a power connection, our neighbours objected to it.
Initially, we remained silent. But as our elder son found it difficult to study at night due to lack of electricity, we applied for a connection with Tangedco AE Office (Melur subdivision, Madurai zone). An official team inspected our house and surrounding areas. However, our neighbours soon erected a fence around our house."
A mediation talk was arranged by the Free Legal Aid of Madurai District Court between the couple and the neighbours several years ago. Meenakshi's brother K Durai said the dominant community members were advised during the meeting to offer space to install the EB pole. "However, they have not yet complied with this advice," he added.
When contacted, an official from Tangedco (Madurai division) said, "We are ready to install a pole there, but the neighbours are objecting to it, claiming that they own the land around Meenakshi's house. After our inspection, the neighbours erected a fence around the area and said we were illegally trespassing into the patta land owned by them."
Noting that they had received a petition from the SC family, an official from the Madurai district administration said the local revenue officials (Melur Taluk) were directed to conduct an inquiry into the issue. "During a field visit by a village assistant, we found that Kumar and Meenakshi had bought the land in 2015 (Document no.4432/2015), and their ownership was verified as legit. As specified in the land document, the common path is located towards the southern end. We are unaware of the reason why the neighbours are objecting to the EB pole installation. We will inquire about the matter," the official added.