With the Assembly elections just a few days away, members of the Scheduled Tribes (ST) in the Cauvery delta region are hoping for better opportunities and improved living conditions in the years to come.

Mayiladuthurai district has at least 22 settlements of STs such as the Narikuravar, Vahiri, Irular, Adiyan, Kaatunayakan, and Komban.

Besides this, there are Narikuravar settlements at Karai in Perambalur district and Devarayaneri in Tiruverumbur, Tiruchi. The dwellers in these settlements have been grappling with rising school dropout rate among their children, juvenile marriages, and child labour, which, activists say, could be solved through government intervention.

“Education is the only means to uplift them. Residential schools have ensured that ST children study up to Class VIII. However, they may drop out in senior years out of ignorance and family pressure. We have 19 children who have passed Class VIII this year. Since we are not allowed to expand our school and admit children to higher classes, we do not know how our students will fare outside,” a social worker from Pallavarayan Pettai, Mayiladuthurai district, told The Hindu.

Lack of ID proof

Community leaders said that more could be done to address the need for providing proper identity proof for ST families. “In 2023, 18 Narikuravar members at Karai were the first in Tamil Nadu to receive their ST certificates, moving up from the Most Backward Classes (MBC). However, most of us are still to receive the certificates three years down the line,” said Karai R. Subramanian, president, Tamil Nadu Narikuravar Kootamaippu (TNNK), a community advocacy group based in Perambalur.

The ST certificate helps them gain access to land ownership and bank finance, he added. “Even in this, the authorities are issuing patta, but not identifying the plots allotted to us. Though we are eligible for financial assistance from Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar Housing and Development Corporation (TAHDCO), officials are withholding fund allocation to ST applicants,” Mr. Subramanian said.

Some field workers pointed out the pathetic living conditions as a major reason for other social problems. “These quarters lack basic amenities and over-crowding is common. Homes meant for 20 persons are being used by 60 families. Youth living here fall prey to substance abuse, gambling, and other social evils early in life. The new government should regulate the housing in order to help the ST families,” said a social worker.