Chennai, Nov 20 (IANS): Tamil Nadu Forest Minister, K. Ramachandran, who is also the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Conoor constituency, inaugurated free power connections for 21 Scheduled Tribe Irula families in the Nilgiris district.

The Minister said that the power connection to the 21 families was provided by taking great efforts by the district administration along with Tangedco officials.

He said that 2.8 km power lines were installed using 38 electricity poles to provide the power connection to these families in the remote Mel Sembukurai in Burliyar panchayath of the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu. The cost of installing the power connection was Rs 7.8 lakh and the cost was borne by the Nilgiris district administration.

K. Ramachandran said that this was following several requests received by Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin that the power connections be provided to the Irula tribal families.

He said that he has directed the district administration to expedite the requests received from the tribal community for infrastructure facilities and that the Chief Minister was keen that the Irula community is provided with all facilities and that they should be brought to the mainstream of social life of Tamil Nadu.

He also said that the state government will fulfil all the demands of the Irula community and requests for roads and other facilities that are pending with the district administration would be completed soon.

The plight of the Irula community has been depicted in the award-winning movie, 'Jai Bhim' in which Super Star of the Tamil movie industry, Suriya played the role of Justice Chandru, the crusader who took up the cause of Irula community.