Residents seek bus service to Kalithimbam tribal hamlet in Erode

Residents of Kalithimbam, a tribal village in the Talavadi block, have urged the State government to introduce bus services to their village, citing difficulties faced by schoolchildren and the elderly.

The demand was raised during an inspection visit by Director of Tribal Welfare S. Annadurai, who stayed in the village and interacted with the residents. He held a meeting with them and listened to their grievances.

Kalithimbam village, spread over 125 acres and home to about 70 Irular tribal families, has seen little agricultural activity in recent years, forcing residents to depend on daily wage work outside the village.

They pointed out that in the absence of bus services, they are forced to walk nearly 2 km through dense forest to reach the main road, causing hardship to students and senior citizens. They requested at least one bus service each in the morning and evening.

Residents said that a trench dug by the Forest Department around the settlement has not been properly maintained, leading to frequent intrusion of elephants and other wild animals. They sought immediate maintenance of the trench and the installation of a solar fence.

They also sought the construction of a community hall and special camps to regularise land and housing documents to enable them to avail themselves of government housing schemes.

Mr. Annadurai assured the villagers that their demands would be examined and addressed in a phased manner. Around 50 villagers, including S.C. Natraj, Director, Service Unit for Development Activities in Rural, attended the meeting.