Kalvarayan hills yet to get roads as assured, Madras HC directs Kallakurichi Collector to appear in person

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court ordered the Kallakurichi district collector to appear in person before the court to submit a report on the works done to lay roads in the Kalvarayan Hills region.

A division bench of Justice SM Subramaniam and Justice V Sivagnanam heard the suo motu case initiated to protect the socio-economic status of the downtrodden Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) people residing in various villages in Kalvarayan hills.

Senior counsel KR Tamilmani, appointed as amicus curiae by the court, submitted that no proper roads were laid in the region to operate bus services and submitted the letter of Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) of Villupuram division.

However, the special public prosecutor, appearing on behalf of the State, submitted that 95 per cent of the region was connected by roads.

After the submission, the bench directed the district collector to submit the works done in this regard and posted the matter to October 22, for further proceedings.

Following the loss of more than 60 lives to the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy the division bench took up a suo motu case to protect the socio-economic status of the downtrodden SC and ST community in that region.

"The history of the Kalvarayan Hills discloses that the State has completely neglected the region and the officials of revenue and forest department were not even bothered about them", the bench expressed its disappointment.

It is also noted that the bench directed the authorities to issue identity cards including voter ID, Aadhar, and ration cards and ensure basic amenities.