TIRUPATTUR: Sweat drips from his forehead as 74-year-old Margabandu M slowly climbs the stony terrain of Neknamalai Hills in Tirupattur, braving the 37-degree heat. Panting, he stops under a neem tree for relief. “Idhu enga oor AC (this is the air-conditioner of our village),” he says, inviting us into the shade. He carries a manjapai full of vegetables—his supply for the next few days. After resting for an hour, he resumes his long trek home, the hills stretching endlessly before him.
About 650 people, mostly engaged in agriculture, live in this hill village, 10 km from Vaniyambadi. The village is part of Neknamalai panchayat, which has around 1,998 people, including those at Purushothama Kuppam and A D Colony in the foothills. Like everyone in Neknamalai, Margabandu walks nearly 10 km for essentials—4 km on a perilous hill road, fraught with loose stones, uneven terrain and steep inclines, and another 6 km on the plains to reach Vaniyambadi. Even single riders on two-wheelers struggle on the muddy, twisting path.
“It takes about two hours to walk four kilometers; now, at my age, it will take me three,” he tells TNIE. “I have to make such trips every three to four days for vegetables.”
But vegetables are not the only thing villagers carry through this path. During medical emergencies, they transport the sick in a doli—a cloth sling tied to a bamboo stick— as ambulances can’t reach them. G Varadan, a resident, recalls how last September, 65-year-old Munisamy collapsed after walking nearly seven kilometers to a medical shop and died before treatment. Similarly, Govidan, suffering from low blood pressure, died before reaching the hospital in Vaniyambadi. Swaminathan, another resident with low BP, met the same fate while heading to Alangayam, he said.
Twice, women in labour delivered babies on the way, unable to reach the hospital in time, says K Soundari, who has assisted in such cases. As the village is located inside forests, residents are also prone to snake and insect bites.
“There is no hospital, not even a primary health center here. We have to travel 10 kilometers for medical facilities in Vaniyambadi or 16 kilometers to Alangayam," he says, adding that most residents suffer from low blood pressure. The arduous trek discourages many from seeking medical help early, and nearly everyone appears exhausted.
A mud road was laid in 2020, but it is still difficult for people to walk on it.
Villagers say their forefathers have lived in Neknamalai since the 1900s, practicing agriculture on ancestral land. They grow foxtail millet, little millet, ragi, pearl millet, and field beans (mochakottai), but farming depends entirely on monsoons. Moving out of the hill is not an option for the residents as their land is on the hills. Water scarcity is a major issue in summer, as they rely on a small pond.
Frustrated by years of neglect, villagers boycotted the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, hoping to mount pressure on authorities. Officials persuaded them to vote, promising solutions. They voted, but nothing changed. An ambulance was donated to the village but it is unable to tackle the terrain. EM Munisamy, a resident, now feels they should have requested a jeep instead. Though a jeep is available, the fare of Rs 1,500 is unaffordable.
Selling their crops is another challenge—villagers must walk 10 km to Vaniyambadi, carrying 1-2 kilos of produce. The profit from agriculture is minimal—they spend `35,000 per acre but earn around `40,000, making a meager `5,000 profit. And after enduring the exhausting journey, they sell their 1-2 kilos of produce for just `300 to `500—an amount barely worth the effort, says Pratap Pal, a social worker.
EM Munisamy, another resident said if the government arranges a jeep it will be helpful. Residents add that with a proper road, Neknamalai could be converted into a tourist destination like Yelagiri Hills.
After Munisamy’s death, the then-district collector K Tharpagaraj arranged for monthly ration items at the hilltop. But for other groceries, residents still must make the gruelling journey.
Deputy Block Development Officer of Neknamalai panchayat told TNIE, “We are ready to construct a health center, but no one is willing to carry materials up the hill or work there due to the difficult path.” Regarding water scarcity, she said work is ongoing to improve water facilities. An overhead tank exists, and another is planned. Health camps are held once a month or once in two months at the hilltop, she said.
Regarding the road, Tirupattur’s Project Director, Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, said approval for laying the road has been obtained from the forest department. “The forest department has asked for `1.5 crore as compensation for afforestation and other requirements. We sent a letter around three months ago to our head office in Chennai. It is yet to be sanctioned.”
As Margabandu continues his slow climb up the hill, the people of Neknamalai cling to hope—that someone will finally listen. Until then, they have no choice but to keep walking, dreading the next life it might claim.