CHENNAI: To have a toilet in one’s own house is not just a matter of privacy, but also dignity. Yet these 23 families from a Narikuravar tribal hamlet in Gummidipoondi, not far from Chennai, have been deprived of just that for 30 years now.
Their hamlet lies in Mettu Theru (second ward), about half-a-kilometre from the Gummidipoondi bus stand. Behind the bus terminus, a lane of concrete leads to few residential localities. However, after about 200 metres, one would think the lane ends there with nice-looking houses as only barren lands are visible. Express rode through the barren land, a bumpy stretch filled with water swamps and wet mud, running alongside an open sewage line to reach the settlement.
Lack of toilets leaves women and children here vulnerable to sexual exploitation by men from nearby villages. Twenty-one-year-old Priya (name changed) said, about a couple of years ago, a few men, who knew that women from the tribal community relieve themselves in the open at night, attempted to sexually assault her. “I screamed so loud after which a few of my relatives came running. Those men left me and ran away,” she said.
With no street lights, the settlement is plunged in darkness at night leaving women venturing out vulnerable to attacks. “Everyone has a story,” said Kothammal.“Younger girls are afraid to go out in the dark alone due to lack of security. Some of them go days without a bath, too. We want the authorities to build us toilets, so we don’t have to fear anyone,” said the 40-year-old who sells beads at the Gummidipoondi bazaar.
The Union government informed the Lok Sabha earlier this month, on August 9, that it is currently implementing a total of 268 schemes for the social development of tribals in the financial year 2021-22. Up to `107 crore has been allocated for the same to Tamil Nadu, as of July 10. Despite so much money being allocated, the tribals here lack land rights. Apart from Swachh Bharat, schemes like Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna - Gramin (PMAY- G) that aims to provide free houses for tribals under Tribal Sub-Plan are yet to reach this village. Under PMAY-G, as many as 18,712 houses were sanctioned for tribals, of which 12,825 have been completed. Such schemes, if extended to these hamlets, would attend to the basic needs of all the tribals.
The community here lives in makeshift houses, made of a few bricks, and use tarpaulin for shelter, with no basic facilities like water, gas, or electricity. They shell out `30 for a can of potable water, and for other purposes, fetch it from nearby villages. “During rains, we take shelter at an unused school nearby. There are a lot of snakes, too, in the area. This year itself, we killed about 10 huge snakes,” said Vijayakanth, a resident of the hamlet. The unused school he referred to, appeared to be in a dilapidated condition as well.
The village is also yet to be covered under the National Nutrition Mission that aims to provide quality food to lactating mothers and children to eradicate malnutrition. “In schools, the children are given at least an egg, but ever since the pandemic began, they lost out on nutritious food too,” said Vijiya, a mother of two.
Speaking to Express, Mahesh, Tahsildar of Gummudipoondi, said that a team had visited the village recently after multiple requests came in from the tribals. “We will survey the land and form a proposal, and definitely attend to their basic needs of housing and toilets,” he assured.
Women vulnerable to attacks
Kothammal, a resident of the hamlet, says men from the dominant caste are often seen in the neighbourhood. They cat-call, eve-tease, and stalk women, making them feel unsafe, she adds