Exposing a flaw in their village’s drinking water supply has cost a family their standing in the community.
According to V. Sundaram, son of Venkatesan, hailing from Siruvakkam Mottur hamlet, a group of influential people in his village convened a meeting on April 4 and declared the ‘ostracism decree’ against his family.
In a memorandum submitted to the district administration on Wednesday, he said water-pump operator, Raman of Siruvakkam, verbally abused his mother Durga when she went to fetch water from the supply tank on March 22.
When this was brought to the notice of village heads, a meeting was convened on March 23 during which Raman stated he did not approve of Sundaram’s family as they had gone to the media with complaints of the flawed drinking water supply system in the village. A clash between supporters of Raman and Sundaram broke out and subsequently, a case was registered against six villagers on charges of attacking Sundaram and his family members.
Sundaram said all the arrested persons came out on bail recently and instigated the seniors in the village to excommunicate his family during the meeting on April 4.
The district administration has forwarded the memorandum to the revenue divisional office for inquiry.
