Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Tribes P.K. Jayalakshmi visited four Adivasi colonies in the forests of Nilambur on Wednesday. She gave a patient ear to the problems of the Cholanaikar and Kattunaikar tribal families, and assured them of solutions.
It was her first visit to an Adivasi colony in the district after she assumed office two years ago. Ms. Jayalakshmi visited the Cholanaikar colonies at Manjeeri, Panappuzha and Mannala, and the Kattunaikar colony at Mukkadavu.
She held discussions with tribal leaders such as Panappuzha Chathan, Meenmutty Veeran, and Mannala Kannan. She offered immediate medical help to tribal youth Subhash, a diabetes patient.
She presented mementoes to Vinod, who passed the Plus Two examination for the first time from among the Cholanaikars. She also gave away solar lights, mats, tarpaulin, clothes, bedspreads, towels and kitchen utensils to the tribespeople.
As many as 191 members in 43 Cholanaikar families are living in Manjeeri and surrounding areas.
Ms. Jayalakshmi later told media that better facilities would be provided to the Adivasi colonies. Welfare projects would be chalked out after considering the views of the colony residents.
Water and road
She said a drinking water scheme had been sanctioned for Mukkadavu colony. All measures would be taken to prevent the threat of wild animals, she said.
She said estimates were prepared for constructing a road to Manjeeri colony, which is about 12 km inside the jungle. The services of mobile medical units would be made available for Adivasi colonies in a month, she said.
Facilities would be provided for distributing cooked food for Adivasis. A post-matric hostel and a school would be set up for Adivasis.
Nilambur municipal chairman Aryadan Shoukath; Karulai panchayat president Nafeesa Rasheed; block panchayat president Mariya Kutty; district panchayat standing committee chairperson T. Vanaja; Integrated Tribal Development Project officer K.A. Jassimol; District Medical Officer V. Ummer Farook; and officials of the police and forest departments accompanied the Minister.
