TIRUPATTUR: IT’S an ordeal for the residents of Dalaganvattam village in Tirupattur’s Kurisilapet every time it rains heavily with the lone causeway in their area connecting their village to the town getting submerged owing to floodwaters from the Pambar.
Around 1,500 people live in the village. When the causeway becomes unusable, residents use alternate pathways — via Pallathur, a 4-kilometer route; or via Rajapalayam, which is a 6-kilometer route. The length of the causeway is about 21 ft and is around 6 ft above the river.
Speaking to TNIE, C Jayasurya, a resident, said, “People living in three other villages – Garaikinaru, Babukollai, Kudangullai hill village and its surroundings – also use the causeway to reach the town. There are about 150 children in Dalaganvattam who have to go to schools.
There is a government middle school here and students from across the district study in it. They are all affected when the causeway floods.” He added that children missed school and exams on Friday and Monday as the causeway was flooded after heavy rain over the past few days.
“Till Monday morning, we had to cross the causeway using a rope tied across it by the village panchayat.” The village administration has since drained the rainwater from the causeway.
Close to the causeway, residents said the Pambar water is diverted into two channels. One of them carries the water to about eight lakes, including Madavalam, Selanthampalli, and Anneri, and the other to the river.
“Due to this, walking with the rope becomes dangerous. If one is not careful, they can easily be swayed and carried by the floodwater,” Jayasurya said.
When contacted, Project Director of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, Tirupattur told TNIE that a major overbridge is set to be constructed here at a cost of Rs 4.1 crore.