This tribal village in Krishnagiri district lacks basic amenities

Krishnagiri: Residents of Thottamanji, a tribal village near Anchetty in the Krishnagiri district, say they are enduring hardships due to the lack of basic amenities. Essential goods, healthcare and educational institutions are available only in Anchetty, which is 25 kilometres away.

The villagers urged the state govt to provide them basic facilities.Thottamanji is situated at an elevation of 3,000 feet above sea level, surrounded by more than 20 smaller villages, including Onnepuram, Sidthappanoor, Chikkamanji, Kalikuttai, Giriyanoor and Bellati. More than 5,000 families reside in these villages. “The road from the base of the hill to Thottamanji has become rough and filled with potholes,” a villager said. A govt bus is operated from Anchetty to Thottamanji three times a day (morning, noon, and night). “Students attending govt schools and colleges in Anchetty rely on this bus service,” said K Jothi, a resident. Students who take the morning bus will return home only at night. “If they miss the night bus due to special classes or other reasons, they must stay at Anchetty bus stand overnight,” she said.After getting down at Thottamanji, many passengers have to walk nearly three kilometres through the forest to reach their homes in neighbouring villages at night.

The villagers said the absence of cellphone service hampered telecommunication in the area.The district administration has established a primary health centre in the village. However, nurses visit the centre once a week. “Doctors don’t come to the centre,” she said. “The road is rough and filled with potholes, causing delays in ambulance arrivals,” she said. It is difficult for pregnant women and elderly individuals experiencing health emergencies to reach the govt hospital in Anchetty.

The villagers face very low voltage. “The lights do not function properly at night, leaving the entire village in darkness,” stated T Palanisamy, another villager. He added that if the electricity went off, it could take up to two days to restore power. Consequently, students are forced to study in candlelight at night.The villagers have appealed to district collector C Dinesh Kumar to visit their village and ensure that nurses are available at the primary health centre. They also requested him to allot an exclusive ambulance for the village to handle medical emergencies. They sought repair of the damaged road, installation of a cellphone tower, operation of more buses and implementation of measures to install a separate transformer to ensure consistent power supply.