Kerala   

Concern over safety of tribal workers

Kozhikode: The safety of tribal people from Wayanad going in search of field work in plantations across the State border has become a matter of concern.

Reports that speak about their exploitation in these places have led to demand for action at government level to ensure their safety.

Wayanad district authorities have sought the help of officials in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to ensure safety and welfare of tribal workers in response to reports which said the tribal people were facing various forms of persecution in their place of work at Kodagu, and Gudallur.

Speaking to The Hindu from Mananthavady, Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) Belkar Singh said letters had been sent to District Collectors of districts across the border seeking their cooperation to ensure safety of tribal workers from Wayanad who work in estates there.

Tribal welfare department officials in Wayanad have arranged programmes for members of local bodies and police officials to focus attention on the problems so that they will be on a state of alert.

Tribal welfare department officials believe it is the comparatively higher wages for field work paid there that attract tribal workers to ginger and coffee plantations in places like Kodagu.

The agrarian crisis that has gripped Wayanad and made job opportunities for tribal workers scarce force them to cross the border and take up jobs in estates in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Following reports that tribal people of Wayanad were being subjected to exploitation in neighbouring States, the authorities in Wayanad had ordered police officials to closely monitor the movement of these workers.

Labour contractors who take tribal workers every day from Wayanad to work on coffee estates in Kodagu, Gudallur and other places across the State border have to furnish details regarding the workers in police station.

However, there are many complaints that these instructions are not being followed.

Mr. Singh said even though the district authorities had not received any specific complaints, the vigil against persecution of tribal workers going for field work in coffee and ginger estates in neighbouring States would be maintained.

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