MADURAI: Residents of K Pudur in Kachirayanpatti panchayat near Melur have alleged that they are struggling without basic sanitation, drinking water, and transport facilities. However, officials denied major lapses in the water supply.
TNIE visited the area and found that around 150 families are living in the village without essential amenities such as common toilets, bus services, and proper roads. Though the panchayat authorities have implemented the Cauvery Drinking Water Scheme, villagers claim that water is supplied only on Thursdays and Fridays for about one hour. There is no separate overhead tank for the scheme, forcing many residents to fetch water from the Aruvimalai natural spring located nearly two kilometres away from the settlement. The spring water now appears muddy, and small frogs are often seen in it.
Speaking to TNIE, resident C Mookammal (50) said that those who can afford it purchase water by paying Rs 15 per pot. “As agricultural labourers, we cannot afford to spend money on drinking water every day. Since there is no separate overhead tank for storage, the supplied water gets mixed with borewell water, giving it a sour taste and making it unfit for drinking and cooking. We are forced to walk from the village to fetch at least four pots of water daily,” she said.
Mookammal added that the situation worsens during the summer season when the spring water level drops drastically, forcing villagers to wait in long queues for hours to collect water.
She also alleged that quarrying activities in the surrounding areas have made the spring water more dusty and polluted. “The panchayat authorities should at least safeguard the spring by constructing side walls and covering it,” she said.
Another resident, N Sumanthi (32), said that there are no functional common toilets in the village. “The panchayat constructed individual toilets in a few houses in 2016, but many of them do not have proper connections. As a result, people are forced to defecate in the open, fearing snakes and poisonous insects. Women face severe difficulties, especially during menstruation, and this has led to health issues such as urinary infections,” she said.
Echoing similar concerns, resident C Roopadevi said the absence of bus services forces villagers, including elderly people and school students, to walk nearly four kilometres to Vanchinagaram to board buses. “During the night, there are no street lights along the pathway, making the journey extremely unsafe,” she added.
Vellakalli, another resident, said villagers have to travel nearly four kilometres to Sundararajapuram to purchase essential commodities from the ration shop. “Even in emergencies, transporting patients to the Karungalakudi Primary Health Centre, which is about eight kilometres away, becomes extremely difficult. Arranging transport is a major challenge,” he said.
He added that villagers had submitted petitions regarding their grievances to former district collector M S Sangeetha and the Melur tahsildar, but no concrete action had been taken.
When contacted, the Block Development Officer (BDO) acknowledged certain issues in the village and said steps would be taken to improve facilities. “A tender will be floated soon for the construction of a common toilet and other basic facilities,” the official said. However, the BDO refuted allegations regarding drinking water scarcity, stating that villagers traditionally prefer to fetch spring water for its taste. “We supply drinking water through the existing overhead tank,” the official added.