M. Rangi, a 65-year-old woman from the impoverished tribal hamlet of Sembukarai in rural Coimbatore, has a message for urban residents who talk of boycotting elections because of lack of amenities in their localities. “We vote to tell the government that we exist.”
About 450 men, women and children of the Irula tribe live in the remote settlements at Sembukarai and Thoomanur, which is about 37 km from here. Rain-fed agriculture is the primary occupation here, though quite often the crop is damaged by wild animals such as elephants, Gaurs and wild boars.
Many people walk more than 10 km a day to cut grass, which they use to make brooms during the dry season.
Accessing other places is a big problem for the villagers. A 6.2-km long tar road to Anaikatti was laid only three years ago. Before that they covered it on foot. There is no road between Sembukarai and Thoomanur, and hence villagers have to either trek or hire a jeep if they want to visit the other hamlet.
The only thing the villagers seem to have is electricity. Some of the tiled, single room huts have a solar-powered bulb. The dozen streetlights, however, have been defunct for months, while a motor that supplied drinking water to Sembukarai was damaged two months ago.
The main demands of the 350 voters in these hamlets — the villages are part of the Kavundampalayam assembly segment — are uninterrupted power supply, access to loans for agriculture and a road between the two hamlets.
They also want a mobile ration shop as the nearest one is 10 km away at Alamaramedu.
Brimming with optimism, people here hope to use the government’s free mixers and grinders soon.
Though candidates promise to fulfil their demand every election season, “we still believe them,” says a smiling D. Vellingiri, a regular voter.
