Power for all villages, says govt, but a few still in dark

COIMBATORE: Freebies distributed through political events as a part of their election promises did come in handy for C Babu who lives in a thatched hut at Nagaroothu, a hilly tribal hamlet in Coimbatore district - the devices remained inside the containers, but those had been neatly stacked and used as a makeshift desk on which was once stored a lantern, some vessels and garments.
"How will we use the television set and mixer grinder without electricity," requested V S Paramasivam of the Tamil Nadu Tribal People's Association.

Nearly 4,000 households in 20 tribal settlements around the district don't seem to be in the scheme of items when the Union government proclaimed on Sunday that every inhabited village in the nation now has get right of entry to to energy provide.

Even after 70 years of Independence, the hilly hamlets of Sinnarpathi, Navamalai, Keelpoonachi and Marapalam in Aliyar panchayat, and Nagaroothu, Erumparai, Poomathi and Sarkarpathy hamlets in Vetaikaranpudhur panchayat remain plunged in darkness. All those are in the Anaimalai Tiger Reserve forest.

Ironically, most of the hamlets are a only a few kilometres away from the Sarkarpathy, Navamalai, Kadamparai and Veli Mudi energy homes, and the electric traces cross through the settlements, stated Paramasivam. "When the official quarters in the tiger reserve forest can get power supply, why can't the hamlets get electricity," he requested.

The state government set up solar panels in the settlements, but those stopped functioning in a few months. It was once just a flicker of their lives, stated a faculty trainer from Aliyar.

Locals say they can’t come up with the money for meter containers, remain in the dark

Echoing the similar sentiment, K Rangasamy, a resident of Nellithurai near Pillur dam, stated virtually all the settlements got energy connections in 2009, but Kadambankombai in Nellithurai panchayat and Sengal Kombai in the Nilgiris had been disregarded.

“Settlements that are adjacent to these hamlets have energy provide, but no longer those two,” stated Rangasamy. They had many times asked the district management to provide electricity. It is a distinct tale for villagers of Sembukarai and Dhoomanur in Anaikatti; the government has equipped electricity, but they continue to reside in darkness as they can't come up with the money for to shop for meter containers which cost a few thousand each.

Shembukarai, Dhoomanur and Kattusalai have 130 homes, but best five homes and a faculty have energy connections. More than 60 homes are being built under the Solar Powered Green House Scheme and the opposite families can't come up with the money for the price of wiring. “While Anaikatti MLA VC Arukutty has paid the deposit amount for all the settlements, the residents could no longer muster the quantity required to do the wiring paintings of their homes,” stated a resident of Shembukarai.

Only after the construction of the houses is over are we able to take into consideration electricity. As of now, we are more thinking about a protected place to reside in, he added. When contacted, a senior Tangedco reliable stated they have got equipped electricity to most of the tribal settlements around the district, but are yet to reach a few faraway areas.

He stated the chances of fire injuries are top when electrical provide is given to settlements in reserve and dense forests. Most of the reserve forest areas have energy. “We withheld giving electricity provide best to hamlets throughout the Indira Gandhi National Park,” the reliable stated. Solar panels are being set up in some hamlets, he stated.