COIMBATORE: Residents of Immidipalayam in Coimbatore district have threatened to boycott the April 23 Tamil Nadu assembly election demanding a proper drinking water supply to their village. Immidipalayam, populated by members of the Arunthathiar community, is in Solavampalayam panchayat in Kinathukadavu constituency. Nearly 400 Arunthathiar families and around 1,150 voters live in the village. The villagers said they had not received drinking water for the past three months. Residents said they had approached the authorities and petitioned sitting MLA S Damodaran to resolve the issue. However, all their efforts went in vain. P Selvi, 60, of Immidipalayam, said, “We are forced to walk at least four kilometres to fetch one pot of drinking water. The elected MLA does not care about our problems. He visited the area a few weeks ago to distribute gift items to voters. No development has been carried out in this region.” She added that the residents of the entire village were disappointed with the current MLA and would boycott the election if they did not get a permanent solution to the drinking water problem. A K Periyar Mani, another resident, said, “Whenever we approach the authorities for a solution, they give different reasons for the disruption of water supply. Breakage and leakage in the water pipeline are the major issues. There is an alternative water line within a kilometre, from which a new connection could be given to the village. However, officials say it comes under a different scheme, and they cannot alter it or draw water from it,” he said. A Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board official said Immidipalayam is located at the tail end of the panchayat. Water from Ambarampalayam is supplied to various villages, including Immidipalayam. It passes through four pumping stations before reaching the village. The official said that damage to the pipeline caused by road work, electric pole erection and other construction activities was the main reason for the disruption in water supply. “We are planning alternative ways to bring water to the village,” he said.
