The Kallar Adivasis demanded that they be given an alternative location in the Theppakulamedu area immediately in order to live with dignity.
Coimbatore: The Adivasis of Kallar have announced that they intend to go on a series of hunger strikes beginning October 2 to demand permission to build huts in Teppakulamedu area in Valparai.
They briefed the media about the protests at a press conference held in a private hall in Valparai, Coimbatore district.
They said, "We are the Kadar tribe, the ancient inhabitants of the Anaimalai range. We have lived in the village of Kallar for many generations. We lost a large number of houses and agricultural lands in our village due to the heavy rains of 2018 in the village which had a total of 23 families. The landslide occurred on the village route. However, even in the absence of road traffic and no means of communication, we informed the police and the forest department in person and set up our seven huts in a slightly safer place on the way to Thaimudi just above the town to save our lives.
Four days later, the forest officials forcibly removed us from there and forced us to stay in the dilapidated Thaimudi tea plantation workers' quarters. We were promised replacement space within 10 days but it has not been provided for the last three years. It has been a year since the land was surveyed at Theppakulam. We are in constant struggle to find a place for ourselves and today we present our decision to protest in front of the media today."
The Kallar Adivasis demanded that they be given an alternative location in the Theppakulamedu area immediately in order to live with dignity and said that they would hold a series of hunger strikes on October 2 which is Gandhi's birthday. Our Kallar village has a valley and water level on all three sides, secluded above the Idamalai river. We have already lost a little over five acres on the east and south sides of our town due to such landslides. There have been landslides and damage to the settlements and houses. The town as a whole has about 50 acres of residential land and agricultural land in the vicinity around the town. In particular, we cannot stay in our town during the rainy season.
None of the children or women can sleep at night because of the noise of water and the soil structure which is prone to collapse at any time. Similarly, there is no way to get to the city. No vehicle, including a two-wheeler and a medical ambulance can reach the village. There is no medical facility and no school education facility. Our traditional life, rituals, worship, culture and freedom have been hampered by suffering in temporary accommodation for the last three years," they lamented.
"Ramaraj, who suffered a spinal cord injury without being able to get medical treatment, died two months ago. We are having two weddings in a nearby village without being able to hold weddings in town. A few marriages are stalled. The tea estate temporary accommodation and the six houses allotted to us are not maintained and we are suffering from not being able to collect drinking water, stove and firewood. We are living in great anguish. We have even been denied permission to fight morally for our rights. As our ancestors lived in the Teppakulamedu area on August 15, 2020, we protested demanding an alternative place.
Even that was denied permission and we have been subjected to a series of monitoring activities by the Forest Department till date. As a result of this protest, the Revenue Department, the Forest Department and the Land Survey Departments in the Theppakulamedu area have surveyed the land for a new village and sent it to the National Tiger Reserve for approval. Although the Revenue Department, the police and all the parties and movements in Valparai support us on this issue, the Forest Department is deliberately diverting the government and us. Our right to life and the political system deliberately prevent the right to life provided by law. Therefore, we are going to hold this moral struggle for the survival of our generations and for the sake of our descendants to survive."
The press conference was attended by about 25 people from the Kallar village, Kadar tribe. "Oor Moopan" Narayanan, Sakthivel, Kanagaraj, Rajalakshmi, tribal leader Thangasamy, tribal rights activist Dhanaraj and many others were present.