Chennai: School students and Villagers in Nandhimangalam village near Sholingur in Ranipet district have to cross two canals filled with hip-level water to reach their school and farmlands outside the village. The villagers have been demanding the district administration to construct a bridge across the canals for a long time to avoid such inconvenience.
More than 2,000 people are residing in the village. As the state government has reopened the schools for classes IX to XII, more than 50 students are crossing the canals every day to reach Kodaikkal government higher secondary school. Villagers are forced to wade through the water in the canal, risking their lives, to reach their farmlands outside the village.
Speaking to ABP Nadu, Vijayakumar, a villager said, “water flow into Ponnai river has increased considerably following the continuous rain in the neighboring Andhra Pradesh. As a result, tanks in and around the village are filled. After Perunkanji lake near the village is filled, Nandhimangalam tank is also filled.
As a result, water level in two canals connecting the Nandhimangalam tank with Pollipakkam tank has increased. Students are forced to cross the canals that are filled with chest-level to reach their schools. Concerned officials should immediately visit the village and take necessary steps to construct a bridge across the canals.”
Also read | IT Dept Attaches Ex-AIADMK Leader Sasikala’s Properties Worth Rs 100 Cr At Payyanur Under Benami Act
Another villager, Narasimha, who is a daily wage labour, said that they were stuck in the village for the past 20 days and as rains are expected to continue for another few weeks in the surrounding areas, their situation might become worse in the coming days.
The villagers demand the district administration to take immediate steps to construct a bridge across the canals.
(With inputs from ABP Nadu — It is a Tamil platform of ABP News. For more news, commentary and latest happenings from Tamil Nadu, follow https://tamil.abplive.com//amp)