Nakkali is a nomadic and hunting community for ages and has failed to catch up with the changing times. Now the community is at the crossroads looking for help.
Elderly Turai Sriram said they used to thrive on hunting birds, monkeys, foxes selling and eating them in olden days. “Now it is crime to hunt birds. But we do not know other trade,” he pointed out.
One could find these people on road sides near railway stations and bus stations and at other public places selling slings, beads of all colours and other items. Unlike in the past, they have settled in urban areas but finding it difficult to eke out a living. “Many of us are into begging,” Bhavani Nageswar rao lamented.
The elders of the community say they are very backward and lack awareness. They come under ST category but never utilized their privilleges owing to ignorance and help from any quarters.
Mr. Sriram said they had an exclusive village called Nakkalaplli in Raghunathpally mandal. Over 70 families settled in Hunter Road Shayampet in Hanamkonda. They have been going door to door asking for help. They want caste certificates to be issued but did not succeed in securing.
“Now our children are going to schools where teachers ask for caste certificate. We are not getting certificates from the revenue offices. Our children are being treated as non-ST and we are not able to pay even meagre sums,” he rued.
As the children were deprived of education, many of them end up as rag pickers, daily wage labourers and are into other unpleasant ways of living.
Mr. Nageswar Rao said that they have been facing problems for two decades and are clueless on finding alternative way of living. He urged the State Government to focus on welfare of their community issuing caste certificates and including them in various welfare schemes such as housing.
