Contribution short abstract:

For the Tamil Dalit youth of Sriperumbudur already facing caste discrimination, the rapid industrial growth was not only a roadblock to their peaceful community, and economic survival but turned out as a threat to life; crime, restricted mobility and polluted natural resources becoming a reality.

Contribution long abstract:

"For the past two days, there is no drinking water, that guy is not delivering the water cans', Viji kept saying this lying on the ground even as I saw him consuming alcohol several times over two days. When rapid industrialisation changed the small rural town of Sriperumbudur to a satellite city in twenty years, the hope for Dalit community in Katchipattu village was a promise and hope'. This 'untouchable' community at one point was ostracized from the main town of Sriperumbudur due to the caste discrimination they faced, had been living in the lower strata of society for ages. The industrial boom in this town brought along massive public and private infrastructures in the form of highways, industrial enclosures, real estate spaces etc. This resulted in the Dalit community being locked in and their physical and social mobility restricted. Industrial growth polluted water bodies in villages and reduced water flow. Contaminated groundwater makes villagers rely on paid drinking water can suppliers, adding to the financial burden. Large manufacturing units caused the rise of temperature in Sriperumbudur. They are afraid their land will be grabbed in the name of development, the land which is already contaminated as well. It is the Dalit youth who is affected the worst. They are denied jobs because of their social tags on them and are forced to make illegal means for survival, in the meanwhile they are used as pawns by the power elites, leaving them to live a daily life of uncertainty.