CHENNAI: The Adi Dravidar Welfare Department will soon undertake a baseline survey to determine the demographic and socio-economic status of the Puthirai Vannar community in the state. This will ensure the community members receive welfare assistance under several schemes from the Puthirai Vannar Welfare Board, said officials. The move gains significance against the backdrop of several issues, including difficulty in obtaining community certificates.
As per the 2011 census, the Puthirai Vannar community population in the state is estimated to be a total of 28,000 members. An internal estimate recently conducted by the department found the number of community members to have exceeded the 60,000 mark, with the population density of the community sprawled out mostly in the districts of Virudhunagar, Sivakasi, Tenkasi, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Theni.
“Some of the Puthirai Vannar are spread across various settlements of other SC communities,” said a member of the Puthirai Vannar Welfare Board.
In this context, the Adi Dravidar Welfare Department is planning to take a baseline survey of 15,000 community households, and, if required, another 5,000 households, to assess the availability and quality of potable water, toilets, houses, bank accounts and access to education.
Activists said historically, the community was engaged in washing clothes, conducting funeral rites, practising traditional medicine, and hairdressing other SC community members.
“Puthirai Vannars are more marginalised as the revenue department hesitate to provide them with community certificates as there are other communities traditionally engaged in the same professions. The officials ask for proof to ensure they are still engaged in these works,” said the board member. The household survey is difficult as many people do not come forward to tell their caste and end up being added to the population of other SC communities living nearby.