COIMBATORE: After two and half years of struggle, 21 tribal families in Kallar near Valparai in Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) are a jubilant lot as the State government on Sunday issued pattas to them.
On August 9, which was celebrated as International Day for World Indigenous People, The New Indian Express highlighted the plight of Kadar tribes who were forced to move from Kallar to tea estate quarters at Thaimudi.
As Kallar was prone to landslides, the tribal people were asked to stay temporarily in Thaimudi, but the buildings lacked toilets and drinking water supply.
The Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs took note of the The New Indian Express article and sought a report from the Principal Secretary to Adi Dravidar and Tribal Development, Government of TN who in turn directed Coimbatore Collector GS Sameeran to look into the issue.
MG Ganesan Deputy Director of ATR said "The district level committee was headed by the Collector and I, Adi Dravidar and Tribal welfare officer along with three representatives. Of the 15 evidences to establish that Kadars lived in Theppakulamedu, two convinced us beyond doubt. Also, a 90-year-old woman testified that tribals lived in the land before 2005."
On Sunday, Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji distributed pattas for 1.5 cent to the families.
S Thanaraj, activist and State Coordinator of Ekta Parishad of Tamil Nadu, thanked The New Indian Express for taking up the cause of the tribe. "Of the 23 tribal families, 21 received pattas. This is a victory for the tribal people. The pattas establishes the fact that tribals are indeed the sons of the soil," he said.