Back
Tamil Nadu
Irular Colony waiting for residents
| Only children are left as parents leave for other States in search of work |
Lies deserted: Group houses constructed under the Indira Memorial Housing Scheme for Irulars at Undialnatham in Veppanahalli. —
KRISHNAGIRI: Children abandoned by their parents can be seen wandering in the Irular Colony at Undialnatham village in Veppanahalli near Andhra border. There are 28 small houses built by the government under the Indira memorial housing scheme and allotted to them two years back. All of them belong to Irular tribal community.
As the parents go to nearby states for employment in the forest areas, the children are living alone in the houses. One or two elders in the colony look after them. The parents come to the houses once in a month.
Volunteers of UNICEF identified the Irular children when the family members assembled for the Pongal festival one year ago and the district administration started a school for them. When it was started, the volunteers and teachers were able to admit as many as 45 children, but now only 25 children are left. Two teachers appointed on a meagre honorarium are struggling to keep the present strength of the children.
The teachers said, “parents have been warned that if they did not send their children to school, their ration cards will be cancelled.”
Marappan and Thayammal took their children Sethamma (11), Nagamma (9) and Akumaran (8) to the nearby forest to collect firewood. “When we asked them to send their children to school, they demanded ration card,” teachers said .
Murali (9) was abandoned by his mother after his father died. The volunteers suggested the district administration take steps to rehabilitate Murali by admitting him in the government-run residential school.
Local people said if the district administration takes steps to provide jobs for Irulars in their villages, they won’t go out for employment and thus, ensure a bright future for their children.
© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu