NILGIRIS: Condemning the Tamil Nadu forest department for not providing a job to the kin of a 55-year-old tribal man, who was killed in a tiger attack at Chinnagadimund near Ooty, and failing to take steps to capture the tiger, members of the Nilgiri Adivasi Welfare Association (NAWA) have decided to boycott the upcoming Assembly elections.
To gather support, the members will convene a meeting with all political party representatives, farmers’ association, and traders’ association at Charring Cross, on Wednesday. They said that despite placing a cage, the tiger, which allegedly killed two persons, is yet to be captured. They also highlighted the damage to crops in the tribal hamlets inside the forests.
Sources said nearly 50,000 tribals, over 28,000 have voting rights and are the deciding factors in each constituency in Ooty, Coonoor and Gudalur.
KM Alwas, secretary of NAWA, said, “On the day we protested seeking a job, officials assured to provide a government job, and to capture the tiger. A month has passed, yet no decision has been taken to provide a job to the wife of the deceased, Pusthal Kuttan, or his two sons,” he said.
The association members said the compensation for wildlife attack victims should also be more than the compensation given to others. “The forest department should give Rs 1 crore as compensation to the kin of the tribals,” said Alwas.
Forest department sources said senior forest officials assured to sort out grievances.