The Irula tribal residents of Siriyur and Anaikatti in the buffer zone of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) have imposed strict rules including ban on outsiders entering the villages, and following protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among residents.
Around 200 families reside in the two villages. The residents said they had become extremely concerned about the COVID-19 pandemic, especially as they felt that an outbreak among indigenous tribal communities could lead to many fatalities. “We have been reading up that in other countries COVID-19 was disproportionately leading to more fatalities among indigenous communities, so our village heads got together and decided to impose a total ban on outsiders from entering our villages,” said a resident of Siriyur.
Bharath, a resident of Anaikatty, said barricades have been erected at the entrance of the village, with clear warnings that outsiders were not allowed. “We had imposed these restrictions as soon as the first case was reported in the Nilgiris, but relaxed the rules for a few weeks as there had been no new infections in the district for over a month. However, the recent spike in the number of cases has forced us to impose these strict measures once again,” said Bharath.
Village elder Bommarayan said vehicles belonging to people from outside the village were also not allowed, while those belonging to local residents would be stopped at the entrance, disinfected and then allowed inside.
While eco-tourism to the village has already been stopped, the residents said that they would continue to put pressure on the forest department to cease all forms of eco-tourism into their villages indefinitely.
“We have also conducted awareness campaigns among the residents, clearly defining protocols they should follow, such as personal distancing, hand-washing and other measures when they venture out of the village and go to work,” said Mr. Bommarayan. The villagers are also procuring provisions through special trucks that are not allowed to enter the village. Local residents instead go out to the truck, procure the vegetables and enter only after washing the vegetables and washing their hands with soap and water, local residents said.