Households in the tribal grama panchayat of Edamalakkudy inside the Munnar Forest Division will be lit up on Sunday under the complete electrification project of the State government.
Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) Adimali division executive engineer Nazruddin told The Hindu on Friday that a trial run was successfully conducted on Thursday and all remaining minor works would be completed before Sunday.
Electricity is provided from the lines of Kanan Devan Hills Plantation Company at Pettimudy from the 11 kv line and a metering facility set up there. From Pettimudy, there is an underground cable of 13.5 km length through the forest till Societykudy, where the panchayat office is situated.
The direct lines provide power to nearly 200 household in the three settlements of Idaliparakudy, Societykudy, and Sheddukudy among the 28 settlements at Edamalakkudy. The 980 houses are also provided electricity through the solar power as carrying electricity through the open lines were found difficult as the settlements were in remote areas and widely scattered inside the forest.
Edamalakkudy grama panchayat was formed on November 1, 2010, exclusively for the Muthuvan tribes people. The village, which was cut off from the world, became the first solar powered grama panchayat with a V-Sat unit at the grama panchayat office in 2015.
A major problem being faced by the tribes people was that they had to travel nearly 50 km at the camp office at Devikulam for each and every time as the panchayat office at Societykudy was devoid of office files and staff. Lack of electricity connection was considered a major hindrance for developing the panchayat office at Societykudy.
‘‘Now it will be over and all the services will be available at the panchyat office itself where office files could be preserved and computers made functional,’’ said Georgekutty, a panchayat staff who worked at Edamalakkudy right from the panchayat was formed.
‘‘Electricity will be a milestone for the development of Edamalakkudy as other services, especially hospital facilities, will also reach soon,’’ said Doraisami of Idaliparakudy.
Till recently, the tribes people carried patients on wooden stretcher covering nearly 18 km on foot till Pettimudy to get medical services.
There was no proper road to connect the settlements with the motorable road from Pettimudy. If the health service with the facility for medicines to be preserved is made available, a major problem will be solved. The electricity connection is considered the prime need for other infrastructure facilities at Edamalakkudy.
