PUDUKKOTTAI: On November 6, Nagaraj's household was engulfed in grief, as he passed away from an illness. What added to his family's woes was ensuring him a proper farewell, as the three-kilometre commute to the crematorium was nothing short of an arduous journey for everyone involved -- all due to the lake en route brimming from the recent rains.
For residents of Eluvichampatti at Kudimiyanmalai panchayat in Annavasal block, this has continued to haunt them for the past 40 years. The villagers have to carry their dead, wading through neck-deep water in order to reach the crematorium. They say that they have approached various politicians and administrators over the years, but to no avail.
The issue only again came to the fore on Saturday, with a video recording the villagers’ struggle with carrying Nagaraj’s body. At least 10 men are seen struggling to carry it in a 'dholi', all the while ensuring that it doesn't fall into the water. This time, due to the recent rains, the water level came till their heads.
"We always have to pass through the lake to reach the crematorium. There is no other way. Due to the rains, the water level has risen tremendously. The level is almost 15 feet in some parts. We have to swim through the waterbody, and carrying the dead is almost impossible. Even on Saturday, we really struggled, as we were totally submerged. We all just made sure that the body didn’t fall, and was floating on the water," said Durai, a villager, and Nagaraj's relative. He also pointed to the thorns of seemai karuvelam adding to the journey’s woes.
Two villages complain of facing the problem, with no other route to the crematorium for them. The two villages have at least 300 families.
While mentioning of having complained to the panchayat president several times, Durai added that a bridge over the lake will put an end to the issue.
Following their submission of a petition with the Collector on Monday, the Illupur tahsildar paid a visit to the village.
"These villagers have been using the pathway for more than 40 years. The problem is all other pathways leading to the crematorium are patta lands. There are four patta lands, not government areas. The villagers want us to build a road through the lake, which is not possible. We are looking for some other pathways, and will solve their problem," said the tahsildar.