Give us groceries not veggies, say Aravatla Hills residents

The villages located on the outskirts of Pernambut town get vegetables grown in farms in their limits and kitchen gardens for their needs. What they want in the mini lorries is grocery which they could purchase only from Pernambut town. Now, that travel has been banned due to total lockdown, grocery has become sparse in the villages. 

“One mini lorry carrying groceries once a week can easily meet the needs of all the five villages,” said an official not wishing to be quoted. 

Complaints have also surfaced from Pernambut residents being unable to purchase vegetables from the government sponsored mini lorries as many have not made trips to interior areas. 

G Suresh Kumar, a local said, “I saw only two vehicles in the town limits on Tuesday, though officially both Pernambut and Gudiyattam municipalities are to be served by 23 vehicles each.” 

Gomathi (41) another resident said, “We now rely on villagers who carry their produce as headloads to the town daily. The prices are also reasonable.” 

The woes of residents do not end there. As Pernambut has only one government hospital and 6 private clinics, they have to rely on a 50-bed private hospital near Ambur 8 km away whereas the next government hospital is only in Gudiyattam, which is 22 km away. 

Suresh Kumar said, “Tirupattur district police have put up a check post at Machanmpattu on the Vellore-Tirupattur district border.” 

Another resident seeking anonymity said that check post police would initially refuse permission, but after some bargaining the cops would allow all persons who pay the required ‘charges’ – Rs 1,000 for four wheelers and Rs 500 for autos.”