A group of tribal families belonging to the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) at Maalikappara Kattunayakkan settlement in Thirunelly grama panchayat took out a march and staged a ‘Kanji veppu samaram’ in front of the collectorate here on Tuesday, raising a slew of demands, including providing land and houses to them.
The protestors said that as many as nine tribal families had lived in the hamlet for the past many decades, but they were forced to leave the place in 2015 owing to the accelerating man-animal conflict.
The hamlet is on the fringe of the Nagarhole Tiger Reserve in Karnataka and the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, and each family had possessed one acre. The Thirunelly grama panchayat authorities and Forest department officials reportedly promised houses and land for the families before they left the hamlet, but the offer is yet to materialise. Now, all families are living in rented houses or finding refuge in relatives’ homes.
Meanwhile, a private estate owner closed the road to the hamlet atop the Mallikappara hills as it passed through the estate.
Though they had submitted grievances to Revenue officials, Tribal Development department and Thirunelly grama panchayat, the issue is yet to be addressed, they said.
If the alleged apathy continues, the agitation will be intensified, they added.
