Rain battered Valparai limping back to normalcy

However, vehicle transportation from Pollachi to Valparai remained suspended for the fourth consecutive day due to the battered hill stretch. Even TNSTC buses weren’t operated and transport of essential commodities through lorries remained disrupted.

Road transport from Valparai to Chalakudy in Kerala remained cut off for over ten days. Works are on to set right the Pollachi-Valparai Hill Road, on the 9th hair pin bend, which got severely damaged in a landslip. A tree fall on the 38th hair pin bend and another land slip on the 27th hair pin bend were cleared. Tourists have also been barred from visiting the hills.

Though water has begun to recede, the families displaced from low lying areas continue to be put up at temporary shelters. Nearly 100 people have been evacuated from the worst affected Vazhaithottam, Dhobi Colony, Children’s Park, Kakkan Colony and Kamarajar Nagar in Valparai. Minister for Municipal Administration SP Velumani visited the flood affected areas and gave away relief materials to people staying in temporary camps.

The Minister said that efforts were being taken on a war footing to bring back normalcy in the town. Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker Pollachi V Jayaraman, who held a review meet with officials of the Revenue Department on the flood situation, wanted encroachments along the banks of Aliyar to be removed.

“People living in encroached houses should be evacuated and put up in safer places,” he said. Further, Jayaraman asked officials to address complaints of drinking water supply and set right faulty street lamps.

“Drinking water has not been supplied for more than 25 days in Vadachittoor area. Many newly laid roads were damaged in rain. If a road gets damaged within five years, then it is the responsibility of the contractor to relay it again,” he said.

As many as 516 houses were damaged in rains in Pollachi and Kinathukadavu taluks. “Weavers will also be compensated as their handloom units at Kullakkapalayam got inundated,” he said.

Pollachi Sub Collector Gayathri Krishnan, Pollachi MP C Mahendran and MLA V Kasthuri Vasu participated in the meeting.