Houses damaged due to rain, tribals want govt to build new dwellings

AFTER a sidewall of a house collapsed on Sunday morning due to the incessant rain over the last few days, people living in tribal villages in the foothills of the Thirumurthy hill appealed to the government to build new houses in the area.

- P SRINIVASAN @Tiruppur

N Manikandan, state committee member of Tamil Nadu Tribal People's Association, said, "As many as 110 tribal families live in the foothills of the Thirumurthi. Of these, 93 families have patta under the Forest Rights Act. Most of the people work as farm labourers and they go to nearby villages for work. About 10 families have set up small shops on the way to the Panchalinga falls and Amanalingeswarar temple. This is the livelihood of the villagers."