Darkness in the evening, summer heat and exposure to the elements are nothing new to M Kaliyamma of Keelpoonachi tribal hamlet in Anamalai Tiger Reserve Forest. Living with no electricity in tin sheet houses, the settlement of containing 47 families is one of the least developed areas in Tamil Nadu, as per a TOI report.??
Some distance away, the Kallar tribal settlement which has 22 families displaced a year ago due to a landslide waits for homes.?
¡°We pleaded with the officials to help us to return to our village. The officials promised us to build houses for us near our village. We hope to return soon,¡± said J Rajalakshmi, a resident.?
The lives of Kaliyamma and Rajalakshmi could change with the chief minister's solar-powered greenhouse scheme allotting 8,803 concrete houses to be built for tribal families. Under the project, a total of 20,000 houses will be built in this fiscal.?
These settlements fall under Coimbatore region, the district with the highest number of tribal families in need of basic amenities in the state. The residents of the tribal villages are excited at the prospect of living in a solar powered house as it would mean realisation of their long awaited dream of using electricity.?
¡°There is a power connection a few yards from the house, but the officials did not extend it to our house,¡± said M Kaliyamma, mother of two school and college-going girls. ¡°
The children studying under a lamp and strain their eyes. We hope this struggle will soon,¡± said V S Paramasivam of TN Tribals welfare association.?