MADIKERI: While tribal people are given land under the Forest Rights Act, getting basic amenities has remained a challenging task for them. Thatalli tribal settlement at Maldare near Siddapura in Kodagu is a testimony to this.
For, the tribal people living in this settlement are yet to get electricity, toilets, water supply, and houses. With no help coming, they have threatened to launch a protest until their demands for basic amenities are met.
Over 70 families, including children and the aged, live in the settlement. Though a temporary water connection has been provided by Maldare gram panchayat, the residents of the settlement have to walk a distance to fetch water. This is because there is no electricity to enable piped water supply.
The residents, who have been living on the forest fringe for over seven decades, were granted RTC recently for the land given to them under the Forest Rights Act.
“Only a few families have been given some facilities. Though we have been granted RTC under the Act, no facilities, including permanent houses, have been given,” Shankar, leader of the tribal people living in the settlement, alleged.
He said most of them are living in huts. “There are no approach roads to the settlement. Over 40 people had applied for benefits under the Ganga Kalyan scheme, but only a few have been selected.
‘Tribals should be brought to the mainstream’
“Local officials are indifferent to the needs of the tribal people due to political differences,” he alleged. When they approached the local MLA recently, he ordered the officials to extend the scheme to the settlement.
“But a few panchayat officials backed by leaders of the opposition party are trying to stop the scheme from reaching beneficiaries in the settlement,” he alleged.
Meanwhile, stressing the need for the development of the settlement, leader of Jenu Kurubas JK Ramu demanded that the tribal people be brought to the mainstream. Most of the tribal people in the district are living in pitiable conditions.
“Action should be taken against the errant panchayat officials. Steps should be taken to develop the settlement at the earliest,” he said. Tribal leaders Krishna, Shivanna and Parvathi said they will launch a protest if their demands are not met at the earliest.