Residents of Kettakadu hamlet in Yelagiri get power 75 years after Independence

Around 12 families living in Kettakadu hamlet adjacent to Rayaneri coming under Yelagiri hills village panchayat were given power supply for the first time since Independence on Thursday, thanks to the efforts of Jolarpet DMK MLA S Devaraji.

Sources said that Devaraji after receiving a petition inspected the area along with TNEB officials. Subsequently, officials started work and installed 49 poles for a distance of 3 km from Rayaneri to Kettakadu to give a power connection.

To date, the families had subsisted with kerosene lamps and Thursday was the first day, their houses were illuminated. When asked about the long delay, Vaniyambadi EB officials said they could not understand how this hamlet alone was left out even as other dwellings nearby received infrastructure facilities like roads and power.

However, EB officials are examining another demand of nearby villages for a permanent TNEB office on the hills as they have to travel 20 km to Jolarpet to pay their power bills now. “We have to travel 14 km away on Vaniyambadi–Tiruapttur Road and then to Sandaikodiyur in Jolarpet to pay our bills,” said a tribal.

When asked about this, Vaniyambadi EB officials said, “We plan to open a full-fledged office on Yelagiri hills shortly. A local has also promised to provide a building to us.” Asked about funds, the official said, “as the building is private, we will not be spending much as the cost involved will only be to shift some material from the plains to the hills.”