Residents of the Ukkan Nagar area today thronged the District Collectorate with their children and submitted a petition to Collector Archana Patnaik.

Their demands – good roads, power connection, drinking water, street lights and sanitary facilities.

According to V.R. Palanisamy, president of the Ukkan Nagar Residents Welfare Association, the residents have been deprived of the basic needs in spite of having proper pattas. “The administration issued pattas in 2015. Still our woes continue. There is no basic facilities here,” he says.

Another resident complains that children are forced to study in their friends or relatives houses as there is no proper electricity. She also added that residents are forced to walk a few kilometres to fetch water.

They also demanded assessment be made for property tax which has been long over due.