A long cherished dream of the tribespeople of Edamalakkudy inside the Munnar forest division has realised with the Scheduled
Tribe Department purchasing two vehicles for the residents to travel to and from Munnar.
The vehicles were purchased at a cost of ₹13 lakh with the support of the Forest Development Agency under the Forest Department.
One vehicle will be parked at Societykudy in Edamalakkudy and the other one at Munnar with the two drivers manning the vehicles providing 24-hour service
The fare for a single person to travel one side is ₹150 and the collection will be used for repairing the vehicles and providing wages to the drivers, according to a Forest Department official.
Usually, the tribespeople travelled from Pettymudy to Edamalakkudy a stretch of 22 km on foot and they carried the patients in wooden cots on their shoulders.
“The vehicles will help us especially during an emergency situation,” said Lakshman a resident in Edamalakkudy. However, he added that as the settlements are scattered in a wide area still not connected with a road, it would be a problem for those residing there to reach Societykudy.
Murugan, another resident, however said that the main problem is the lack of a proper road. During the rainy season the only road
connecting Pettymudy to Societykudy is washed away and it would be difficult for them to travel on foot. The private jeeps which
conducted services also abstain from coming to Societykudy. Timely maintenance of the road is a basic thing, he said adding that the new vehicles will solve to an extent their problem of travelling from Edamalakkudy..
Murugan said that they were spending ₹250 for a single trip in the private jeeps which conduct the trip
Though the exclusive grama panchayat for the tribespeople was launched nearly a decade back, they have to depend on the Munnar town for purchasing even the essential items.
Benefit to students
When there is a regular service,the students studying at the model residential schools in Munnar and Marayur would reach home frequently, said Murugan.
Devikulam Subcollector S. Premkrishnan will flag off the two vehicles at Idaliparakudy on Saturday.
