A multicrore development initiative aimed at countering the Maoist threat in tribal hamlets in the Thondarnadu grama panchayat in Wayanad faces hurdles owing to the alleged laxity of authorities.
The comprehensive project for integrated sustainable development of tribespeople in the area was launched in December 2014, soon after an exchange of fire occurred between a group of Maoists and members of a Thunderbolt team at the Chappa forest under the North Wayanad forest division.
Various development projects such as construction of roads and culverts, pavements and bridges, installation of power fencing and construction of trenches to tackle wildlife attack, construction of houses and toilets, electrification, and self-employment projects for the tribespeople were envisaged under the project.
The government had granted Rs.5 crore for the project and the Mananthavadi block panchayat was selected as the implementing agency. It was targeted to cater to 200 tribal families in 12 tribal settlements in the grama panchayat, including Chappa, Kombara, Ittilattil, Churuli, Maradi, and Pannippad, but many a tribal family of the settlements was yet to get the benefit of it.
‘Basic infrastructure facilities such as road, drinking water schemes, educational facilities. toilets, electrification, and even a good house are a distant dream for the seven tribal families here,” Koppi, a marginal tribal farmer of the Chappa forest settlement said.
“I had approached various government agencies, including the Tribal Development Department, for a house but it is yet to be granted,” Mr. Koppi said.
“It was announced that a dairy unit comprising a cow, cattle shed, training, and utensils for milking would be provided for each family under a self- employment project. Only two families in the settlement got cows and a cattle shed but the authorities failed to provide any training, utensils for milking, and even the insurance documents of the cows, K.R. Raman of the hamlet said. As many as 13 children are studying in different schools in nearby towns and they have to travel nearly five to seven km a day on foot to reach them, he said.
The condition of 13 families in the nearby Kombara settlement was not different from Chappa, he added.
