Coimbatore : Even as the authorities have fitted with electricity the only polling booth in the Dhoomanur tribal settlement for the first time, citing lack of patronage from the State, people of the settlement have claimed they have no interest in casting their votes.
Coimbatore : Even as the authorities have fitted with electricity the only polling booth in the Dhoomanur tribal settlement for the first time, citing lack of patronage from the State, people of the settlement have claimed they have no interest in casting their votes.
Situated around 28 kilo meters from the City, the hamlet includes three settlements Dhoomanur, Chaembukkarai and Kaattusalai (Milagayampathi). According to sources, a total of 127 ration card holders live in these hamlets inside the Thadagam Reserve Forest Area.
In the recent voters list that was released in January 2019, 331 voters including 159 male and 172 female voters have been issued voter identity cards. The numbers stood at 334 in 2018.
While they have been polling in the Dhoomanur middle school during previous elections, the school was not fitted with electricity and has been using either solar power or generators. Despite being fitted with a power source when the hamlets were given power supply, the process could not be completed and no proper electricity was given to the school.
Since dates have been announced for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and the school is the only polling booth for the tree hamlets, the school was fitted with electricity for the first time.
However, the people of the hamlet do not seem to show interest in voting as some of their basic needs have not been met by officials.
In 2016, 42 beneficiaries from the hamlets were allotted Green Houses with the majority going to Dhoomanur settlement. Earlier, houses were constructed under the Group Houses scheme during MGR’s rule.
Later on, two more beneficiaries were added in the scheme, a sum of Rs. 2.1 lakh was fixed for each house according to the scheme and funds were to be distributed at a phased manner directly to the beneficiaries. Though the work began in 2016, not even a single house has been completed till date in all the three settlements combined.
Since the houses are being constructed on available plots replacing their old houses, people here have been reportedly forced to shift to their neighbours places for the time being. However, since the completion of construction extended beyond the expected date, people are finding it difficult to cope up with the situation.
“The work was speeded up after official intervention last year. But it came to a grinding halt after Pongal holidays this year,” said a resident of Dhoomanur.
While this was a major issue that is haunting the people of these hamlets, lack of proper street light and drinking water are also issues of concern.
“The hamlets are situated in the middle of the forest and elephant movement is on the rise. They come very close to human settlements at night and accidental encounters are increasing. If proper street lights are fitted, we could avoid such encounters as elephants too would not come near houses,” said another resident.
He further added that even drinking water was not provided to them properly, which have jointly led to the lack of interest in voting that prevails among the residents of the hamlets.