The Hindu : Karnataka News : A tale of two tribal families in Heggadadevankote

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Wednesday, Jun 04, 2008
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Karnataka

A tale of two tribal families in Heggadadevankote

Muralidhara Khajane

They sacrificed land for the Taraka project a few years ago

HELP NEEDED: Members of the tribal families in Budanuru Haadi in Mysore district.

BUDANURU HAADI (HEGGADADEVAN-KOTE): Two tribal families which sacrificed land a few years ago for development are now paying a heavy price. These tribal families consisting of 10 persons each are living in 14 thatched huts, which measure 10 ft x 15 ft each. These thatched huts built on a piece of land, with the permission of the landowner, barely provide them any protection from the sun, rain or gale. They have built and rebuilt their lives every time landowners forced them out. Hence, they do not figure in any government document nor do they get any benefits or privileges offered to the tribal people. The children and women look weak and undernourished and the men have lost hope.

These families were evacuated when the Government took up the Taraka Lift Irrigation Project envisaged to help the people of Heggadadevankote. Though the families that were evacuated were rehabilitated, these two families missed the bus and are suffering silently. Devi (40), a mother of two, says that they are destined to suffer for having sacrificed their land for the good of others.

When The Hindu visited their settlement about 5 km from Heggadadevankote, members of the two families were sitting idle in front of their dilapidated huts.

Devi, who offered drinking water, said, “After staying near water sources for years, we are now trekking miles to fetch water.”

Asked whether they voted in the recently concluded elections to the Legislative Assembly, Devi said in an agitated tone, “We are struggling to get our names registered. Who will enrol names of those who do not have a place of their own. None of the members of our two families has ever exercised his franchise.”

Recalling how she and her husband have been shunted out by officers when they went to register their names, she said, “As we have lost our identities without ration cards, the authorities said they could not include our names.”

Though Basappa, Shivappa, Susheela and others endorsed what Devi said, Gouri did not speak even a single word. Susheela said, “Gouri is mentally challenged. It is not possible for us to take her to hospital as we do not have ration cards. She is now living in her sister’s hut, as her thatched hut came down during the recent rain.”

On how they lived, Shivappa said that they would eat only if they got work. Otherwise, they consumed locally available tapioca or turnip. “We have appealed to everyone, including the former MLA and Minister, Shivanna. But nothing has happened,” he said. He said that the men would walk till Hunsur for work as it was difficult to get jobs in their surroundings. He said that they have not heard of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. He said that they spend nights with the fear of elephants attacking their huts. “Now we are at the mercy of the owner of this land. Once he asks us to vacate, we have to search for another location,” Devi said with tears in her eyes. Tahsildar of Heggadevankote Varakhedi said that he was not aware of the problems being faced by two tribal families and that he would look into them now.

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