Activities of the Attappady Hill Area Development Society (AHADS), which successfully implemented many tribal empowerment and eco-restoration projects in the region with Rs.219-crore aid from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), have come to an end with the State government on Thursday deciding to hand over its assets to the Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA).
A meeting, attended by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday, decided to wind up the project and hand over AHADS infrastructure to KILA. The AHADS main office complex at Agali here will be made a training centre for Panchayati Raj institutions.
Functioning of AHADS, started in 1996, had been in limbo since 2009 with JICA stopping its funding. Despite strong public demands that the functioning of AHADS be continued with State funding, the government decided to end the project.
Buildings in bad state
AHADS had constructed over 180 buildings using JICA funds, but they all are in a state of neglect now. A dozen vehicles owned by AHADS have been remaining idle for the past several years.
With the tribal village development samithis formed under AHADS, to supervise construction work in the region, turning defunct, contractors and middlemen are back to take away public money. “Apart from afforestation of 11,000 hectares of barren land, the project also helped bring 5,000 hectares of fallow land under cultivation. It implemented soil and water conservation projects in 17,000 hectares,’’ social worker Rajendra Prasad said.
Hamlet development
“One among the major achievements of AHADS was a comprehensive tribal hamlet development project in which 1,056 houses were built, besides renovating 177 houses. Under the scheme, a hospital with 40 beds was constructed at Agali,” says S. Palanisamy, a tribesman and former casual employee of the society. “Revitalisation of the organisation was essential as many projects it started in Attappady needed continued action,” he says.
“Before winding up its projects in the absence of government support, AHADS had prepared a Rs.253-crore total hamlet development programme. It had also submitted to the government a Rs.159.34-crore agriculture package to sustain the gains of the project and make Attappady an organic food hub. The sorry state of affairs is related to the stoppage of activities initiated by AHADS,” says tribal activist K.A. Ramu.
