A defunct borewell, an obsolete overhead tank, badly damaged amusement equipment at the children’s park and non-functional street-lights are some of the major problems being faced by the residents of Samathuvapuram at Malligaipatti in Marungapuri.
The Samathuvapuram, which was declared open by the then Minister for Local Administration M. K. Stalin on June 14, 2009, houses 100 families, each family accounting for four to five members.
“Though the Samathuvapuram had all amenities and services initially, it was short lived. The location of the Samathuvapuram is about three km from Marungapuri on the Tiruchi - Madurai National Highway. Except for the four-laning of the National Highway, there has been no improvement in our neighbourhood,” says A. Pazhanisamy, one of the residents.
It is the women who are worst-hit, as the drinking water supply has been affected. Although the overhead tank was in operation at the time of inauguration of the Samathuvapuram, it has been in disuse as the borewell had failed. The residents say that the Combined Drinking Water Supply Scheme, the pipelines for which pass through their area, should be extended to them. “Presently, they have been getting water which is not only inadequate but also not potable,” says Vellayammal, another resident.
Even for this non-potable water, there is a scramble among women as the supply is restricted to just an hour or so in the afternoon. “We have to stand in queue for about two hours to get our ration. But the supply has been quite inadequate and stops abruptly,” they say.
The infrastructure for the children’s park had also been badly damaged. Women members want the same to be properly maintained and repaired. They also want a ration shop and anganwadi to be opened in the Samathuvapuram area. “There is no safety for us on the National Highway to take our children to the Anganwadi which is located at Yagapuram, about one km from here,” they say.
Official sources said that the first borewell which was set up at the time of inauguration of Samathuvapraum had failed. A second well was set up but it too had failed. The ground water table had depleted all over Marungapuri union. Steps were being taken to augment the supply and steps would be taken to provide other amenities, the sources said.
