12 years on, Edamalakkudy panchayat office in Idukki starts functioning

Camp is working partially and will be fully functional from February after the completion of Internet connectivity

After 12 years since its formation, the Edamalakkudy tribal panchayat camp office finally started functioning from Societykudy, the panchayat headquarters, from Wednesday. According to officials, the camp is working partially and will be fully functional from February after the completion of Internet connectivity.

Edamalakkudy panchayat secretary Santhosh K. said that a three-member team of panchayat officials has been working from the base camp. “Many tribespeople have already reached the office for submitting applications for various certificates. We will provide the necessary certificates from next week,” he said.

Devikulam Sub-collector Rahul Krishna Sharma said the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) fibre cable works from Munnar to Edamalakkudy are ongoing. “Nearly 50% of the works is completed and the entire works are expected to be over by February. After ensuring proper Internet connectivity, the panchayat office will fully function from the base camp,” he said, adding that by then, the office will provide banking facilities, among other services.

Idukki district has the only tribal grama panchayat at Edamalakkudy inside the Munnar Forest Division. The first tribal grama panchayat was formed exclusively for the Muthuvan community in 2010. However, the camp office of the panchayat was set up at Devikulam, 38 km from Societykudy, due to the absence of proper road and mobile connectivity. In these 12 years, the tribespeople travelled from the remote panchayat to Devikulam to address their administrative requirements.