Forest Department’s decision to depute 43 tribal women watchers to the deep jungles of Attappady without addressing their safety concerns and not providing any basic infrastructure has drawn condemnation from the tribal women collective Thaykula Sanghom.
Blaming Mannarkkad divisional Forest Officer Raju Thomas, the Thaykula Sanghom has sent petitions to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Forest Minister K. Raju, and Minister for the Development of the Scheduled Castes and Tribes A.K. Balan seeking action against him.
After the Attappady Hill Area Development Society (AHADS) was wound up, 93 tribal employees of the society were absorbed by the Forest Department. Among them, 50 persons were men and they were designated as forest watchers.
A haste order
The rest 43 women employees were employed on deputation with the Agriculture Department to help improve functioning of a community farm in the locality.
It was during May second week that the DFO had issued an order hastily directing the 43 women watchers to return to their parent Forest Department. Thaykula Sanghom leaders Bhagavathy and Vanchi said the department had since then been sending these women to inaccessible areas of the region such as Galasi, Thudukki and Aanavaayi, from where it’s nearly impossible to return home in the evening.
A few women have been posted at the Kuchipara station, which is 20 km away from the Silent Valley forests.
The sanghom leaders alleged that the women were victimised for their role in an anti-liquor movement that forced closure of a retail shop of Tamil Nadu on the border. They said some forest officials had nexus with the Tamil Nadu liquor lobby.
The affected tribal women watchers comprise widows, unwed mothers, and women married to drunkards.
Meanwhile, Mr. Raju Thomas denied the allegations and said the department had provided adequate safety and infrastructure to the women watchers and they included separate rest rooms.
Published - June 15, 2016 12:00 am IST
