A tribal community in Kerala
The tribal communities of Kerala have never been given significant attention from any part of the society in the past. They were not supported or their problems were not acknowledged even when they lost the ancestral lands they lived in or did farming activities. We heard their sorrow tales over and over as they were displaced from the lands they traditionally occupied for many generations. But, over the past many years the scenario has changed drastically. We read and hear stories of various tribal groups who are actually the best protectors and conservationists of the forest.
“Many families were evicted from their places in the 70s saying that it was forest area. Even though a considerable number of families lost their land and had to leave their homes that year, none of them received any compensation from the government,” said Sukumaran, a daily wage worker from Narimadakkal, Malappuram.
“We also lost some area of our home but did not get any compensation like the others. We did our farming activities in the rest of the areas that we had then,” he added.
While these were the cases that happened in the past, tribal people from different places said that they are elated as they get more consideration from the government today. It is not limited to just their lands but also includes assuring basic living conditions like education, electricity, communication, health and proper treatment.
“During landslide and heavy rains, we used to face difficulties. The life of people living in the foot of the hills was always in danger. Houses of many families were washed away by the rains and crushed. It was painful to watch bodies being discovered from mud. As the death tolls and number of injuries kept increasing each time, the government authorities started shifting people to other places,” said Nitheesh TN, a driver from Pinayur, Kuttampuzha. He added, “Houses are being constructed and people are being shifted to their new homes even amidst the pandemic.”
“There have been no issues of land displacements here for the past many years. The only threat is the severe landslides and heavy rains. There are several areas prone to landslides and there is nothing really we can do other than evacuation. But the question here again is where we would go”, said Manoj from Engakandi, Malappuram.
There has been a shift in the ways how the tribal communities are being treated nowadays. Having faced serious issues like alienation, marginalization, poverty, and displacement in the past, various ways are being implemented by the policy-makers today to uplift the lives of these tribal groups.
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