Tribal councils (Oorukoottom) at times land in controversy since they hand out punishments such as social boycott (Ooruvilakku) to families for violating the norms of the community.
However, a decision by the tribal council in Edamalakkudy, the only tribal grama panchayat in Kerala, has drawn attention since it has managed to keep COVID-19 at bay.
When the pandemic broke out last year, the tribal council decided that outsiders would not be allowed to enter the hamlet. The residents too were asked not to leave the hamlet. No case has been reported from the grama panchayat till date.
Georgekutty, a former employee of the grama panchayat, said the decisions taken by the council are always abided by the residents, most of whom are Muthuvan community members.
Emergency
Moreover, they prefer to stay in their settlements unless there is an emergency. Edamalakkudy is in the Munnar forest division, bordering Tamil Nadu.
The nearby town is Munnar, at a distance of 30 km. The Eravikulam National Park (ENP) is the entry point to Edamalakkudy.
Now, emulating Edamalakkudy, other tribal hamlets in the district too have decided to ban outsiders. Job J. Neriyamparambil, ENP range officer, said the ‘Oorumooppan’ of Parappyarkudy had already asked the park officials not to allow outsiders to the hamlet.
Marayur range officer M.G. Vinodhkumar said hamlets under the forest division decided on Sunday to bar outsiders. He said that in Koodalkattukudy, where nearly 600 tribespeople live, no COVID-19 cases have been reported.
“An outbreak will go out of hand in tribal settlements due to their community living and high social interaction,” he said.
