In the wake of a devastating incident that claimed the life of a one-and-a-half-year-old child in Athimara Kollai village, Collector B Kumaravel Pandian visited the grief-stricken community in Alleri panchayat, Anaicut taluk, on Monday. The purpose of his visit was to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the unfortunate incident and address the pressing concerns of the villagers. During his visit, Collector Pandian engaged in discussions with the residents, focusing on various vital issues such as the improvement of road infrastructure, ensuring access to clean drinking water, and enhancing sanitation facilities in the area.
Notably, the collector emphasized the need for constructing a black-topped road to Alleri hill village, which requires collaboration with the forest department. A project estimate of approximately Rs 5.51 crore has been prepared to facilitate the construction of the road and expedite connectivity to the region. Furthermore, Collector Pandian shed light on the challenges faced by several hamlets, including Pinjamandhai, Alleri Palamarathukollai, Kalampattu, Jhartankollai, Kurumalai, and Thangumalai, located in the Javvadu hills.
These settlements lack direct road connectivity from the dam area, and obtaining approval for road construction rests with the forest department. In line with the rural road development scheme in the Kurmalai region, Collector Pandian announced the completion of a 2.5 km black-topped road at a cost of Rs 1.06 crore. Moreover, ongoing works worth Rs 5 crore aim to provide improved road facilities to Binjamandhai village. Accompanying the collector during his visit were District Forest Officer Kalanithi, District Panchayat Committee Chairman M Babu, Vellore Revenue Commissioner Kavitha, Rural Development Agency Executive Engineer Senthil, and several other officials. Their presence reflected the collective commitment to addressing the pressing issues faced by the village and fostering positive change in the region.