Thampu launches Ooru Kappu yatra to bridge gap between tribespeople and govt. schemes
Thampu, an organisation that focusses on tribal education, development and research, has launched an awareness initiative called Ooru Kappu in Attappady to educate tribal communities about government schemes and laws that benefit them.
An Ooru Kappu yatra began from the Kurukkathikallu tribal hamlet on Tuesday. The services made available through government arms such as the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Public Distribution System (PDS), Primacy Health Centre (PHC), Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP), three-tier panchayats, and departments such as Forest, Police and Excise were explained to the tribespeople in detail.
The Ooru Kappu yatra also aims at creating awareness among the tribal youths of the ill effects of liquor and drugs. Exclusive projects such as Janani Janma Raksha safe motherhood programme and the ambits of Forest Rights Act are also being explained.
'We are conducting the entire awareness drive in the tribal language,' said Thampu president Rajendra Prasad, who inaugurated the programme. He said that Ooru Kappu was a traditional practice among the tribespeople aimed at preserving their unique way of life and cultural heritage.
Tribal activist K.A. Ramu presided over the function. Forest Rights Committee president Ayyappan and secretary Sreeja spoke.
Tribal leaders Sudheesh and Revathy Udayakumar led classes in different tribal languages. Attappady has three key tribal groups called Irula, Muduga and Kurumba with distinct languages and cultures.
A song composed by tribal singer K. Panali about the Forest Rights Act was adopted as the theme song of the Ooru Kappu yatra. The awareness drive will cover 20 hamlets before concluding on April 24.
The Ooru Kappu yatra led by K.A. Ramu and Binil Kumar has 10 members from different hamlets. Suja Gonjiyur, Majju Pattimalam, Kavya Ramu, Revathy Udayakumar, Sudheesh Panali, Selvaraj, Varathan, Ayyappan and Rajendra Prasad are part of the group.
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