Gudiyattam PU meet ‘feels shock’ of power poles inside patta houses

VELLORE: The presence of two power poles in two houses at Kaliammanpatti in Kondasamudram panchayat created a stir at a meeting of Gudiyattam Panchayat Union (PU) resulting in houses being inspected by the PU chairman and BDO.

The issue was raised at the meeting following which PU chairman NE Sathyanandam and Gudiyattam BDO M Karthikeyan visited the site interacted with the residents andthen assured those present that they would inform both Tangedco and the Vellore district administration to ensure that the poles were removed.

Residents of both houses said that they lived in fear as the power poles carried live LT lines.

There had been no action to remove them despite repeated appeals to Tangedco over the years, they added.

“The issue was also raised when electricity minister Senthil Balaji visited the areato campaign for the local body elections, one and half years ago. Though he instructed officials to do the needful no action was taken,” said a resident ofone of the houses refusing to divulge his name.

However, Tangedco officials had a different take on the issue. Gudiyattam EE Venketachalapathy said, “the poles might have been erected when the area had no dwellings. Then some residents might have received pattas for the allotted land and constructed a house around the pole thus bringing itinto the middle of the house.”

“The matter can be solved if the affected resident pays Rs 500 and GST for a poleremoval estimate. Once the estimated amount is paid within a fortnight we willremove the pole in two or three days,” an official added.

Elaborating, Venektachalapathy said, “the two houses in question were issued demand noticesto pay the pole removal charges, but they failed to do so.”

Stating that this was not a new phenomenon, he said there were 8 locations in Gudiyattam town facing similar issues.