Two Decades Without Power, Now Lit Up In Just One Week

The astonishing fact is that there is still a village in Tamil Nadu without any electricity for more than 20 years. Located 20 km from a developed city like Coimbatore, Ettimadai Panchayat holds more than 500 Adi Dravidar people. The compelling fact is that these people were living in the area without any electricity.

To resolve the electricity problem, the residents of Ettimadai Panchayat submitted a petition to CM Stalin. Receiving the petition, CM Stalin acted on it at lightning speed which resulted in all houses having electric lights in just 1 week.

Jothimani from Ettimadai village said, "We are living without electricity for a total of 19 years of my married life. The DMK regime resolved our electricity problem within just 1 week of receiving the petition. Some of the houses like ours, couldn't afford the appliances cost, so it took some time for us to get the appliances like fan, light and get the connection."

Ettimadai Panchayat 5th ward Councillor, Kalaiarasi said, "Out of the petitions we received after winning the election, the most ones were for house pattas and electricity connection. We informed about the petitions to the EO (Executive Officer) office. Electricity connection and free house pattas were given to the people of Ettimadai instantly. I thank on behalf of my village, the official authorities and CM Stalin who made this possible."

Kalaiarasi also said, "For many years, our people did not get any benefits. This situation is changed in the current DMK regime which takes care of each and every house. We are proud that we are respected so much in this regime."

A youngster named Venkatesan born and brought up in the village said, "Out of 24 houses that received free pattas, 20 houses have already got the electricity connection. For a long time, students in Ettimadai village studied under the light of Kerosene lamp. In a generation where students are moving forward with online classes, studying under the light of a kerosene lamp is a step back for Ettimadai village. Realising this constraint for the students' development, the government acted at lightning speed and brought electricity to the village."

Suresh, the Executive Engineer of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board said, "Out of the total 70 houses in the village, electricity connection was given to 40 houses earlier. Now, the remaining 30 houses were also given connections. Most of the villagers are illiterate, who do not know the online process of getting electricity connection, so we helped them to fill the application online."

Another officer said, "Most of the villagers belong below the poverty line who do not consume a lot of electricity. Their consumption will not go beyond 100 units and there will be no requirement for them to pay the fee as well."

DMK Secretary Anand Kumar said, "Ettimadai village population consists of approximately 500 Adi Dravidars who lived without electricity all these years. After winning the election for the first time in this area, DMK has resolved all the problems faced by the people which were not taken into consideration by the previous governments."

He continued, "CM Stalin's motto is to bring the concept of equity in development. In a way of putting this vision into action, the authorities sent a petition to the CM's office which resulted in a government order directing the authorities to take necessary steps."

It's a new beginning for Ettimadai village.