7.
History
Of the
Vellicode Water Supply Scheme.
There exist six Government wells in Vellicode. Besides, there are about 20 private wells.
These wells will be filled with water during the rainy seasons. During summer, all public wells would dry up. The people living in the vicinity of the Our Lady of Seven Dolours Church – the central portion of Vellicode- are the worst sufferers. In this area, there is a big rock within a few feet below the ground level.
Until 1984, each family had been living with as little as four "kudams" (1 kudam approximately equal to 25 litre) of water. Very few families had toilet attached houses.
Vellicode is a village flanked by channels and ponds. The people used to take bath in ponds or channels.
However, the people in the central portion of Vellicode had been frantically going to the peripheral areas for water. At times, they brought water from far off places on bicycles.
In 1970, Mr. M.Sabariyaradimai of the Kattuvilai area took a step to bring a water supply scheme to Vellicode. Mr. Cruz Mickael and a few others also took some active interest. They sent some representations to the Government. The Government actually sanctioned a water supply scheme to bring water from a well near a stream at Varuvilai in Kattathurai, a neighbouring village. However, a pressure group in Kattathurai took the scheme to them.
In 1974, the Government sanctioned a water supply scheme to bring water from Mulagumoodu- another neighbouring village. Accordingly, a well was dug at Paduvankuzhi in Mulagumoodu and a water tank was constructed at Kalluvilai. Five public taps were given to Vellicode. The taps were duly erected. The Collector, Kanyakumari District, declared open the scheme in a public meeting at Kalluvilai without letting water to Vellicode. I – the present writer – submitted a petition to him at the dais stating that the scheme was being inaugurated before completion. The Collector immediately gave an assurance to supply water to Vellicode within a week. Accordingly, a little water came for about four weeks. After that, water never came. It was diverted to the surrounding areas of Kalluvilai.
In 1982, Mr. Sabariyaradimai took one more step to bring water to Vellicode. This time, he, along with Mr. Rajagopal of Iynimoottu vilai sent some representations to the District Collector. Then they approached the Block Development Officer (BDO), Thiruvattar. The BDO asked them to provide two cent of land in a suitable place for digging a well and another two cent for constructing a water tank.
Mr. Sabariyaramai, in turn, requested me to prevail upon my maternal uncle - Mr.R. Maria Michael- to donate land.
Mr. R. Maria Michael had been a bachelor. He had about 1.75 acre of land. He wanted to give his land to the children of his two sisters – Viakulamariyal and Thresammal- only. Further, he had been using a lot of water for hand washing. When I informed this matter to him, he was delighted to donate the land and gave an assurance in writing.
Then, Mr. Sabariyaradimai and his friends pursued the matter and the scheme was sanctioned.
Quite unexpectedly, Mr. R. Maria Michael died on 3 September 1982. His brother Maria Sebastian – the legal heir - agreed to give the land belonging to Mr. Maria Michael.
However, everyone felt that the land of late Mr. Maria Michael- about 3 cent- near a pond – Parayan Kulam - was not suitable for digging a well. Though the place came just below a channel – Pattanam Channel - they thought that there would not be much water during drought.
At that time, Mr. Maria Sebastian had obtained a court order for two cent of land at Neerali – a disputed place near Kannan vilai well. But he had not taken possession of the land. Everyone thought that there would be a lot of water in that area. This place also came just below the Pattanam Channel. Besides, there was a 12 - feet deep well - in that place. He had no hesitation to donate that land. The other parties were not in favour of giving the land. However, Mr. Sabariyaradimai and others persuaded him to register the land based on the court degree.
Accordingly, Mr. Maria Sebastian donated the land in favour of the Governor of Tamil Nadu. However, the Survey Number mentioned in the document was a wrong one. Therefore, one more registration was done. The land for constructing the water tank was also given.
Then a contractor had to be found out. A Mr. Thanislaus of Vadakkaru Vilai had been a mason. He had secured a contractor license from the Government of Kerala. Mr. Sabariyaradimai and others persuaded him to do the work. The BDO was not convinced with that license. Therefore, he was asked to register his name in the Labour Society. Finally, the BDO awarded the work to him without taking into account anything.
This region had been reeling under drought since 1968. Many resorted to bore wells. The well was dug during a drought. As expected - there was water within ten feet. To the utter shock of everyone, there was a rock beneath that level. However, the well was dug by blasting the rock. The work was for Re.37,000/- . In order to carry out the work, one or two well wishers had given him some jewels to pledge.
On the first occasion, I had given the taxi fare to go to Thiruvattar. Mr. Sabariyaradimai gave Re.100/- for registration in the Labour Society. Some interested people spent some money for other incidental expenses.
The drought lasted for four more years. There was no water in the Pattanam Channel. During this time, the people of the surrounding areas fetched water from this new well.
As there is no water scarcity in the Pattanam Channel since 1987, the well is full of water since then.
In 1988, a High Level Water Tank was sanctioned. The President of the Kattathurai Punchayat, a Mr. Peter, took a keen interest for this.
My younger brother- Mr. V. John Bosco got 30 cent of land abutting the National Highway (NH-47) as his share. I persuaded him to give two cent of land in this plot and he obliged. The Government, in turn, sanctioned a tap near to his house.
The National Highway - 47 (NH-47) divides Vellicode into two parts – the eastern part and the western part. The above tank supplies water to the eastern part.
In 1998, this tank was connected with the Kuzhithurai Integrated Water Supply Scheme. The Our Lady of Seven Dolours Church offered land to construct one more High - Level Water Tank for the people of the western part of Vellicode.
Now, water connection has been given to a few houses in the eastern part for Re.30/- each per month and a few houses in the western part for Re.50/- each per month. The difference is due to the fact that the eastern part comes under Village Punchayat and the western part under Town Punchayat. The people in the western part do not get sufficient water because it depends solely on the Kuzhithurai Integrated Water Supply Scheme. In the eastern part, the well water supplements Kuzhithurai water.
Now (2012) about 70 per cent of the people have wells, bore wells or water connections. The rest of the people compete with one another to fetch water from the public taps.
The water problem still haunts the people of Vellicode.
By
Sabarimuthu
23- 4-2012
