THOOTHUKUDI: Members of the alleged Kattunayakan community from Eral have appealed to Collector K Elambahavat to take necessary steps to provide them community certificates, essential for their children to pursue higher studies.
The petition was submitted during the weekly grievance redressal meeting held on Monday, chaired by the District Revenue Officer (DRO). According to the petitioners, led by comrades and Puratchi Baratham members, more than 120 families have been living in Ganesapuram hamlet for over 120 years, and around 30 individuals already possess Kattunayakan community certificates.
However, they alleged that the tahsildar has repeatedly rejected their applications, citing a lack of ‘valid blood relations’ to the Kattunayakan Scheduled Tribe (ST) community and demanding various documents.
“The unavailability of community certificates has deprived them of job opportunities and educational assistance, weakening them economically,” said Chithiraivel, a Kattunayakan community leader. He added that due to the prolonged issue, many Kattunayakan youths are dropping out of school and returning to their traditional occupations of pig rearing and foretelling to sustain themselves.
Activist K Selvakumar urged the district administration to take the matter to the state government and warned that the community would besiege the collectorate if their demands are not met.
Meanwhile, N Bastina, belonging to the Mapilaiyoorani Sri Lankan Tamil rehabilitation camp, staged a sit-in protest in front of the collectorate during the grievance meeting. She alleged that although she was initially informed that her family was allotted one of the 75 houses in the camp, the allotment was later withdrawn, leaving her without a home.