CUDALLORE: Often, landlessness is considered as the prime factor behind illiteracy and economic backwardness of marginalised communities. However, U Edakuppam Irula villagers have been deprived of many basic facilities such as roads, drinking water and graveyard for almost 50 years, despite owning lands.
Although several petitions and complaints have been made to every official possible, no action has been taken, the villagers allege. In fact, from availing community certificates to burying the body of a deceased family member, these families are often neglected.
Speaking to TNIE, Kuppuswamy (45) said, “Five of our forefathers worked as agricultural bonded labourers in Sathamangalam village of Kammapuram block almost 60 years back. With the money earned, all the five Irula men bought land, including my grandfather Vellayan. Over the years, the families have grown and currently there are 21 families at the village. But we have been deprived of nearly every basic necessity.”
The U Edakuppam Irula village currently houses 70 people, including 10 children. Many of them are daily wagers struggling to make their ends meet due to the pandemic. The village that has approximately 45 voters even tried boycotting the 2019 local body election to get the attention of officials, but all in vain.
“We stayed put at our houses, which are mostly huts, during cyclone Nivar as no one told us to go to relief camps. The village was fully inundated, yet no one turned to help us out and provide relief materials. There are no proper roads to our village and no graveyard. From my grandfather Vellayan, grandmother and my father Thangarasu, all have been buried within the compound wall of the house,” said Kuppuswamy. He also claimed that villagers are still struggling to get community certificates and during every visit to Virudhachalam sub-collector or Tahsildar’s office, they face humiliating and pointless caste-related questions.
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V Gandhi (51), another villager said, “We want a proper road as it is difficult for children to go to school and for us to wade through water during monsoon. We have so far submitted numerous petitions. Petitions submitted from 2005 are with us as proof of the neglect we have faced.”
According to Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department’s Policy Report 2018-19, local bodies should construct roads and provide other necessities to tribal hamlets. Financial assistance of `2,500 should be given to Adi Dravidar and ST communities to perform last rites.
“A camp will be set up on Thursday to ensure all the right applicants receive community certificates. For the construction of roads and graveyard, I will coordinate with the BDO office and Adi Dravidar Welfare Department. The necessary facilities will be provided at the earliest,” said Virudhachalam sub-collector Praveen Kumar.