Coimbatore

More than 200 families reside at ‘melkodappamandu’ located along the Ooty-Kotagiri highway in Ooty. The villagers alleged that bushes have grown all over the slopes leading to their neighbourhood following the recent spell of rains. The streetlights had also turned faulty, drowning the pathway in darkness, they said.

The villagers further claimed that those returning after work during night time faced trouble from wild bisons. Despite them raising the issue with the local authorities, they did not get any relief, they said.

Subseuqently, on Tuesday morning, over 20 villagers resorted to the roadblock on the Ooty-Kotagiri Road, demanding to fix the faulty street lights. Due to the protest, traffic was disrupted on the stretch with vehicles bound to Ooty and Kotagiri lining up on either sides of the road.

On receiving information, the police and officials rushed to the spot and held talks with the protesters, promising action. Following this, the villagers withdrew the protest.

“Even students reach home late evening after attending special classes. With no streetlights, they often encounter wild bisons on the way, posing a risk to their lives. We also want the Forest department to take up regular monitoring to prevent bisons from straying into the neighbourhood,” the protesting villagers said.

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