Fetching a few pots of water from a near empty deep well in Vazhapandal, a remote tribal village along Jawadhu Hills in the Vellore range, has been a challenge for residents during summers. They mostly depend on tractors carrying water tanks to meet the village’s needs once a week.
In recent weeks, Forest Department officials of the Vellore division have been laying pipelines to provide safe drinking water to the tribal hamlets.
The initiative, which slowed down due to the pandemic, is being monitored by Prince Kumar, District Forest Officer (DFO), Vellore. “As these tribal hamlets help us in protecting our forests, we contribute to their welfare in whatever way possible. The need of every tribal village along forest fringes varies,” P. Ravikumar, Forest Range Officer (FRO), Vellore told The Hindu.
