MADURAI: Owing to deprival of basic facilities including housing and toilets, no member from the Paliyar community, residing in 36 villages across Dindigul and Theni districts, were able to join government services over a span of 76 years since independence, revealed a research report here on Friday. The research paper, which has been published by researcher SJ Aloysius Irudayam of Legal Action, Advocacy and Services (LAAS) centre, a Madurai-based private legal service centre, stated that as many as 1,173 families of Paliyar community continue to live in acute poverty, and many of them do not even possess community certificates, voter IDs, Aadhaar cards or other documents.
The research paper, titled ‘Paliyar Tribals in Kodaikanal and Theni Areas’, was released by Aloysius Irudayam in the presence of LAAS Director A Sandhanam and Nattai Kappom Federation Founder CJ Rajan on Friday. Addressing media persons, Irudayam said the report focussed on the livelihood status of the community members dwelling in all 36 villages.
“Soon after the release of the film ‘Jai Bhim’, Chief Minister MK Stalin had passed a GO to ensure that the benefits of the government’s welfare schemes reached all those regions inhabited by nomads, tribals and other marginalised groups. It directed the district collectors to take appropriate measures to collect data related to people’s livelihood through a Needs Assessment Form. The GO had also instructed to complete this evaluation work by November 25, 2021 and send the report to the state secretariat. However, no such action has been taken so far,” said Irudayam.
He stated that the chief minister’s concern about tribals had inspired him to conduct the research. “The research found that poverty and illiteracy have kept the community confined within forests and mountains. A majority of them do not even have access to welfare measures, as they do not possess community certificates, Aadhaar cards among others,” Irudayam added.