Times
of India: Madurai: Saturday, 25 July 2015.
Television
came to our homes two decades ago. In most cities, there's hardly any house or
any area that does not enjoy a TV watching session in the evenings. That,
sadly, is not the correct picture of a bustling city like Madurai. Anna Nagar
in Madurai corporation's ward number 72, a residential settlement with over 150
houses, got the hope of watching TV at home only this Friday, thanks to the
relentless efforts of 70-year-old R Kaanithevar, a school dropout and a
resident of the area.
While
political representatives, revenue authorities and local Tangedco officials all
failed to help him, Kaanithevar along with a social activist fought with the
system and finally got power connection to his locality on Friday. Tangedco is
erecting electric posts now, which was only a dream for the residents for so
many years. With revived hope, 60 residents have now following the path laid by
Kaanithevar. "We were demanding electricity connection for more than a
decade. Although government had recognised our address and gave us door
numbers, family cards, Aadhaar cards, voter cards and freebies, they never
acceded for an electricity connection. While many residents lost hope, we stood
firm, fought with government system and won," said Kaanithevar.
Government
departments "could not help" Kaanithevar because a case is pending in
court for decades over the ownership of the land. The residents settled in the
land belonged to Church of South India Trust Association five decades ago.
"The trust did not raise any objection. But when we applied for
electricity they objected. We did not take legal route to get electricity
connection since we knew that they can tackle us using their mighty money
power," Kaanithevar said.
Social
activist D Jacob Pandian, who joined Kaanithevar in his fight, says he was
inspired after reading an article in TOI a few years ago informing that getting
an electricity connection is a basic right. "When approached, officials
and elected representatives could not help us. Hence we took the help of the
RTI Act and started getting information from various departments. We questioned
them, when we have all the recognitions from government, why not electricity.
We approached the top officials of Tangedco and pressurised with the
information obtained through the RTI," Jacob said.
In the
absence of electricity connection, some of the residents have spent Rs 25, 000
or more to install solar power generators. Even then it was not enough. A
comfortable sleep under the fan or relaxing evening watching a TV programme at
home was still a distant dream for these people. "Our children are
humiliated wherever they went. Their friends snubbed them. My daughter was
often insulted by her husband and family members. My four-year-old
granddaughter stopped visiting us as we do not have a TV," said K
Pechiammal, a resident.
Thankfully,
those days are over and all credit goes to Kaanithevar.
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