The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Where development has a long way to go

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Oct 14, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Where development has a long way to go

By R. Sujatha

CHENNAI, OCT. 13. Developments in the bustling Hosur city do not touch Betamugilalam taluk residents, about 50 km away in the Denkanikotta reserve forest that falls under the forest division.

Men like Madhurikan work from dawn to dusk, scraping trees and rocks for moss, a much-valued ingredient used in briyani. They must gather four sacks to trade for a sack of ragi. An Irula, Madhurikan depends on wild roots and tubers for food. People like him survive on doles from missionaries and on the generosity of visitors to the forest temple, who give away leftovers.

Many tribal hamlets with a population of at least 1,000 each are inaccessible, particularly during monsoon. There are no health posts yet.

Last week, a Lingayat, a new mother, died after she was drenched in rain. Forest officials were told that her family refused help because it was too late and feared harassment in the hospital if she died there. Though health camps had been held every two months since 2000, hill people feel it is cheaper to transport the sick back home than let them die in a hospital.

The roads to these hamlets were laid 16 years ago and though four buses ply from Denkanikotta to Ayyur, there is the fear of tyres getting punctured.

The blessed few

However, for several Madhurikans there are a few like Madhan, a resident of Kottaiyur-kollai, which was adopted by the forest division. Madhan heads the village forest committee, which has members from four other hamlets. About 140 tribal families at Tattakarai and Kottaiyur-kollai live in brick houses, which residents built under the Indira Aawas Yojana. The houses have electricity, toilets and kitchens.

The upper caste people charged hefty interest on decades-old tribal loans. With help from the officials the tribals have regained control of their land.

The tribals have built a checkdam and a well to irrigate their land. A gasifier that uses dry bamboo twigs ensures piped water supply. A pump supplies drinking water.

Women have formed self-help groups and received loans to raise sheep. Each family has a grain bank to serve its needs during in lean months. The proceeds from the sale of forest produce, such as stone and tree moss, gooseberry and other wild fruits, go to the village forest committee. The funds will be used for development.

A tribal has donated his land where a school has been built. Nearly 80 children, between 6 and 13, go to school regularly because they are assured of food. The first-generation learners, dressed in oversized donated clothes are learning to write and read English and Tamil.

Madhan is shy of outsiders but has learnt to work with wireless sets and drives a moped. But there are several hamlets more inaccessible than Kottaiyur-kollai whose residents need help.

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