A Scheduled Caste (SC) family in Pudupatti, Melur taluk, has been struggling to secure an electricity connection for their home for the past nine years due to objections raised by their neighbours who belong to a dominant community. The issue revolves around the installation of an electricity pole on a common pathway, which the neighbours have allegedly blocked by erecting a fence.
K Meenakshi (30), a daily wage labourer, shared her ordeal, explaining that she and her husband, Kumar, had purchased a plot of land in Pudupatti, Attakudi panchayat, and built a modest house with a tiled roof. However, when they applied for an electricity connection, their neighbours raised objections, claiming ownership of the land around their house and preventing the installation of the required electricity pole.
“We initially stayed silent, but when our elder son struggled to study at night without electricity, we decided to apply for a connection from TANGEDCO,” Meenakshi explained to TNIE. “An official team from the Melur subdivision of Madurai zone inspected our house and the area, but shortly after, our neighbours erected a fence blocking the entrance pathway.”
To resolve the matter, a mediation session was organized by the Free Legal Aid of Madurai District Court. Meenakshi’s brother, K Durai, mentioned that the dominant community members were advised during the meeting to provide space for the installation of the electricity pole. However, the neighbours have yet to comply with this recommendation.
A TANGEDCO official from the Madurai division confirmed the issue, stating, “We are prepared to install the pole, but the neighbours are objecting, claiming ownership of the land surrounding the house. After our inspection, the neighbours fenced off the area and accused us of trespassing on their property.”
In response to a petition submitted by the family, an official from the Madurai district administration said that local revenue officials in Melur Taluk were instructed to investigate the matter. “During a field visit by a village assistant, it was confirmed that Kumar and Meenakshi had purchased the land in 2015 (Document no. 4432/2015), and their ownership was verified as legitimate,” the official said. “The land document clearly indicates that the common pathway is located on the southern end. We are still unsure why the neighbours are objecting to the installation of the electricity pole, but an inquiry is underway.”
The SC family’s struggle for basic utilities continues as they await a resolution to their ongoing issue with the electricity connection.
(With inputs from TNIE)
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