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New Indian Express
3 days ago
- General
- New Indian Express
Collector steps in to address tribal issues in Thiruvananthapuram's Podiyakkala hamlet
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: To address a slew of issues faced by the tribal community in Thiruvananthapuram, the district administration has started interventions. District Collector Anu Kumari visited the Podiyakkala tribal hamlet in Vithura grama panchayat on Sunday. The collector interacted with the residents to evaluate their living conditions and address their concerns. 'The major issue they raised was the man-animal conflicts,' Anu Kumari told TNIE. People are at risk of attacks by elephants, bisons and wild boars. Though trenches have been dug to prevent such incidents, their irregular maintenance remains a shortcoming. 'I have instructed the officials to take up effective maintenance. We will have support from the NABARD team also, as digging trenches in hard and rocky areas cannot be carried out by forest officials alone,' she said. Anu Kumari also visited the homes of two victims of animal attacks. 'We faced two wild animal attacks in the past two years,' said Peppara ward member Latha Kumari, adding that wild animals destroy their crops, mainly bananas and tapioca. 'The authorities have ensured the distribution of drinking water to 75 families in the hamlet,' Latha said. She stated that the issue of dilapidated roads in the area was also raised in the meeting with the collector, which is expected to be resolved immediately. Another major issue raised was the increased student dropouts post Plus II, for which the collector directed to identify job-oriented training courses that can be provided to the students. 'I was very happy to see that the basic amenities at Podiyakkala, including ration distribution, healthcare administration, etc were functioning properly,' the collector said. She also interacted with the tribal chieftain during the visit. The panchayat member added that monthly health check-ups, travel facilities for tribal students under the 'Vidyavahini' scheme, etc have also been effectively functioning. The collector visited the hamlets with officials from tribal, education, forest, health, water and local self-government departments.
The Hindu
05-06-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Its a rocky journey for children from Kallakkuttykudy to reach their school
For six young tribal students in the remote hamlet of Kallakkuttykudy in Mankulam, Idukki, going to school is never just a routine—it is a daily act of courage. These children have to cross a fragile bamboo bridge suspended over a rocky river daily to reach their school, with their parents looking on with bated breath till they reach the opposite side. The original bridge over the Nallathanni river, their only safe passage, was swept away in the devastating floods of August 2018 and has not been reconstructed till now. Sino Mathew, their teacher at the Chikkanamkudy Government Lower Primary School, says that the only way for the six students, who are in classes ranging from I to IV, to reach the school is via the bamboo bridge. 'During summers, a vehicle part of the Vidyavahini project reaches the settlement to take the students to the school. However, during the rainy season, the tribespeople have to construct a temporary bamboo bridge for the students to cross the river, with the vehicle waiting on the other side,' says Mr. Mathew. Twenty families Guruswami, a resident of the Kallakkuttykudy tribal settlement, says that 20 Muthuvan community tribal families are living here. 'The settlement is in between the Pettimudy river and the Nallathanni river. The bridge was the only way to connect to the outside world. After its collapse, the tribespeople cross the river during the summer. However, due to the strong undercurrents in the rainy season, we cannot cross the river and are forced to construct a bamboo bridge,' he says. Mr. Guruswami says that the residents are struggling to reach hospitals as it is hard for the sick to use the makeshift bridge. 'We have been constantly making demands for a new bridge in the area, but our requests have not been heard till now,' he adds. Opposed construction Dean Kuriakose, Idukki MP, says that he had allotted ₹20 lakh from his rural development fund to build the bridge. 'However, the Devikulam block panchayat, which is the implementing agency of the project, opposed the construction,' he says. Adivasi Muthuvan Samudhaya Sangam president M. Palraj says that the tribespeople will stage a protest in front of the Devikulam panchayat office on June 18 against the block panchayat's opposition to the bridge construction. 'We have submitted several pleas regarding the construction of the bridge. However, the authorities have failed to take any action,' he says. The Devikulam block panchayat authorities have not responded to The Hindu's queries so far.
