Tribal Development
The aim of the Tribal Development Department is to implement activities for the integrated social and economic development of the tribal communities of Athirapilly in Thrissur District.
Athirappilly Gramapanchayath, with an area of 489 sq. km. is biggest Panchayath in Kerala. Situated on the Western Ghats, this panchayath has majority of its area under forest region and is famous for the enchanting waterfalls biodiversity. But this beauty is on the face of destruction due to deforestation and other unscientific explorations. This area is also very much prone to Mansoon flood. The local people of this panchayath are now facing problems of severe Mansoon flood. This kind of Manson flood never happened before in these areas for the last 10 years. The
There are 14 tribal colonies in the forest area of Athirappilly. From the studies conducted in this area, it is understood that poverty, unavailability of safe drinking water and health issues are the main problems faced by the people of this panchayat, especially the tribal communities. Illiteracy and lack of awareness on community health makes the above problems more severe. Interventions that capacitate the people to build up knowledge base, health, sustainable livelihood programmes, natural resource management including watershed, etc have to be implemented in this pachayat giving special focus to the tribal communities.
STATUS OF TRIBALS OF ATHIRAPILLY PANCHAYAT
Although the Indian constitution in theory ensures total protection to the tribal people, that they do not lose their ethnic and cultural identity, most of the tribals in Athirapilly Panchayat are in a deplorable state mainly due to the adverse impact of our developmental activities. The plundering of natural resources of the area, unsustainable developmental activities, degradation of environmental quality and irreparable damages caused to the fragile forests force the tribals in Athirapilly Panchayat to live in sub-human conditions. It was observed that adequate care was not taken while displacing the tribal families. New colonies were formed to incorporate the displaced families without proper planning. Out of the 21 colonies only Poringal (Thuruthu), Thavalakkuzhipara and Sungam have not faced much displacement problem for a long span of time. All the other colonies are sites where they have been resettled by authorities without providing any amenities or basic living conditions. The tribal people never had a voice in deciding the location of their hamlet. It was also found that in several cases not even substitute land was given by the authorities along after the tribals were evacuated from the old colonies. (Eg. Malayas in Vachumaram). Many of the houses provided by the Tribal Welfare Department are in pathetic condition. Acute drinking water scarcity is experienced in many colonies, as the nearest water sources is far away (Eg.Pillapara, Vachumaram, Malakkapara, etc)
Collection of non-wood forest produce is one of the major sources of income for the majority of tribals in the area. However, due to destruction of forests, availability of non-wood forest produce has also shrunk. Almost nothing is done by the authorities to regenerate non wood forest produce. Further, pilferage of non-wood forest produce by non-tribal people reduces the existing share of the tribals. Many tribals now are going for daily wage forestry works whenever such works are available. This has totally changed their ethnic life style and culture. These changes could be easily observed in their preference for food, rituals, festivals, interests etc.
Religious conversion is also going on among tribals in Athirapilly Panchayat. Men coming to the forests as laborers show special interest in marrying tribal girls as they can avail of all the tribal benefits from the Government. Although the tribals in this panchayat are well built, malnutrition is very common among them. The alarming reduction of the conventional resources, change of food habits, high incidence of alcohol consumption, etc are the reasons for the same. Their innocence and faithfulness are also heavily exploited by the plains-people pushing the tribals into pathetic condition.
MAIN TRIBAL GROUPS IN THE PANCHAYAT
The tribals have been living within the forests of Athirapilly Panchayat since time immemorial. The life of tribals and forests are inseparably interconnected. They have evolved a way of life which is woven around the forest ecology and its resources. The following are the groups of tribals living in Athirapilly Panchayat.
- Kadars
They are primitive group of tribals characteristic of Chalakkudy basin. They depend upon the collection of non-wood forest produce like honey, wax, shivakai, kasthurimanjal, maramanjal, black damer, white dammar, gooseberry etc, for their livelihood. They are not interested in agriculture. They are also familiar with conventional methods of fishing from the hill streams.
- Malayas
These tribals are generally seen in Thrissur district. They practice agriculture and are not interested in the collection of Non-wood forest produce.
- Muduvas
They are generally seen in high range areas. Muduvas are good agriculturists and grow a variety of crops like, rice, maize, ragi, tapioca, banana etc. These products are most often sold in the nearby markets. Muduvas have been traditionally dry land cultivators practicing shifting cultivation in the Western Ghats.
The aim of the Tribal Development Department is to implement activities for the integrated social and economic development of the tribal communities of Athirapilly in Thrissur District.
The major duties of Tribal Development Department are as follows:
Medical Camps
Most of the Tribal colonies at Athirapilly are situated in the interiors of the forests and the nearby health centre is around 50 kilometers away. This has led to a situation where the tribal people do not turn up to consult a doctor or approach the hospital in case of any disease or emergency. Since the Tribal people cannot be compelled to travel such a long distance and go to hospitals, the only alternative to provide medical support to the Tribal people is to conduct medical camps in their own colonies.
An initial assessment was done by the field animators in the colonies on the need for conducting the medical camps. The families of all the Tribal colonies were very much interested to have the camps in their colonies. Inorder to provide direct health service to the tribals, regular Medical Camps were conducted in each Tribal Colonies.
Setting up of Community Based First Aid Unit
The health of the tribal community is always a concern for not only to the state government but also to the Central Government. The high terrain nature of the tribal colonies make the issue terrible bad. The medical facilities are beyond the reach to the tribal community people.
As part offsetting up of a First Aid Unit in each colonies, two leaders from each colonies were selected and trained in all the aspects of first aid. The community based First Aid facility has reduced severity of the epidemics in the tribal colonies. Two women from each colony were worked as Health Volunteers in the aspect of First Aid.
Organic Farming Training
Trainings on organic farming and Vermi Composting were provided in 14 tribal colonies. Four vermi compost model units were installed in each colony. The composting bed has constructed in common places with coconut fibres and bricks on the sides. The ben-efi ciaries of the activity were supplied 2000 earth worms per unit. A committee also appointed in each colony for the management of the vermi compost unit. The project team also doing necessary follow up so that the beneficiaries get sufficiently skilled in the treatment of the wastes using earthworm. The compost and vermin wash produced from the units were used for organic farming and cultivation of medicinal plants.
Awareness Programmes
A series of Awareness creation programmes were conducted in villages for all the tribal people that mainly focused on the personal and community health and hygiene, sexual health, Child Rearing Practices, Adolescent problems etc. The awareness programmes served as a platform for the villagers to have an insight about their knowledge and state of mind regarding the related issues. These programmes equipped the people with valuable information having a scientific backup. The ideas that were communicated through the awareness programmes would be spread to
other people of the community also so that healthy and hygiene generation could be created throughout the villages.
Awareness against the use of Substance abuse
The health of the tribal community is in serious threat because of the heavy usage of substances is very common in the tribal community. Men and women use these substances generally. The use of such substances slowly reduces their efficiency to work.
The people above 50 years of age cannot work as they were in the early because of the heavy use of these substances. The system has been following by the community since very early. Easy availability of these substances and the unemployment increases the cases in the tribal areas.
The community should aware about the evil effects of such substances which is the only way to reduce the usage in the tribal community. Awareness classes were conduct in all the colonies in a regular interval.
Awareness class on Adolescent problems
Awareness class on adolescent problems has conducted in each colony and this was very much effective as the adolescents of the tribal areas are facing problems during the maturity stage as well as on the threshold. The modern education system and the peer groups reducing the problem in the Rural and Urban Community which is rarely happening in the tribal areas because of lack of education in the community. The class reduces the anxieties of adolescents and it also generated awareness on the related adolescent issues.
Awareness to mothers on Child Rearing Practices :-
The nutrition levels of the tribal children are very low compared to other children of their group. The mothers should be educated to give better care to their children. Basically the community never had such scientific and regular practices in Child Rearing which opens up the chances of their vulnerability to diseases and epidemics. One programme on child rearing practices was conducted in each colony.
Awareness class on Sexual Health :-
The sexual health of the tribal community was a major concerned because of the unscientific practices among the community. Through the awareness programmes, the tribal people got a better understanding of the modern health practices in sexual health. The understanding of proper health care practices like, birth control and its measures, early marriage and its problems, prenatal, natal, post-natal care and the usage of clinical facilities during natal period etc. were included in the training programme.
Awareness Programme on Health and Hygiene
Health and hygiene are always alarming problem among the tribal. Athirapilly area is very much prone to the spreading of communicable diseases. The awareness programmes served as a platform for the villagers to have an insight about their knowledge and state of mind regarding health and hygienic issues.
Implementation of Jalanidhi Project
Implemented “Jalanidhi Project” of the Kerala Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (KRWSA) where drinking water provision and sanitation to 14 Tribal Colonies of Athirapilly. Officials from Word Bank visited the
Conducted Skill Upgradation training programmes in Bamboo Craft and fostered them to perform it in a sustainable manner.
Provided training on the cultivation of medicinal plants and distributed the seedlings, followed by marketing support for the sale of medicinal products.
Conducted awareness programmes in effective agriculture practices and provided seedlings to the tribal families.
Associated the development of tribals with the tourism opportunities at Athirapilly through exploring the marketing opportunities of forest / tribal produce.
