Washed-out roads, lost lessons: Tribal kids in Tamil Nadu wait for rains to end

Heavy rains have left two tribal hamlets deep inside the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR) in Tamil Nadu cut off from the outside world for over a month, preventing children from attending school.

The only road connecting Vilankombai and Kembanur to nearby villages was washed away after four causeways across streams feeding the Gunderipallam reservoir were damaged.

Around 60 Urali tribal families live in these two hamlets, which fall under the Kongarpalayam Panchayat in the Thookkanaicken Palayam Union of the Gobichettipalayam taluk.

Nearly 30 school-going children from the settlements attend government schools at Vinoba Nagar and Kongarpalayam, located 7 km and 10 km away, respectively.

The disruption has halted education, healthcare, and public distribution services in the area.

The school vehicle operated under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan’s Transport and Escort Services scheme made its last trip on Oct 7. Since then, students have been unable to travel.

“From October to January, during the rainy season, the school vehicle cannot ply, forcing children to stay home,” said SC Natraj, Director of the Sathyamangalam-based NGO Service Unit for Development Activities in Rural (SUDAR).

With restoration work progressing slowly, villagers have once again urged the authorities to build an alternative route.

VP Gunasekaran, State Committee Member of the Tamil Nadu Tribal People’s Association, said Tiruppur MP K Subbarayan had recently visited the area and petitioned District Collector S Kandasamy to create a new link road.

Maadhan, a resident, said this has been a recurring problem for generations.

“Walking 7 km through dense forest teeming with wild animals is risky. At least the proposed alternative road should become a reality in our lifetime so that our children can stay connected with the outside world,” he said.

“The 4-km Kavalur–Pellathur footpath should be upgraded into a motorable road with a bridge across the stream to provide a lasting solution,” Gunasekaran added, urging the district administration to act swiftly.