Kolathur Irulars: Seeking Justice for three decades
They are forced to live under the same roof, facing persistent hardships due to lack of proper housing, reliable jobs and money.
The Irular tribal families of Kolathur have been facing hardship for nearly 30 years since they do not have a patta or land ownership. Despite many petitions given to the officials, the Irulars of Kolathur continue to live without a patta and a house.
One of the affected is Santhi, a mother of three children who moved to Kolathur after her marriage. “My father-in-law's house was initially in Thozhupedu, but we later came to Kolathur,” she said. “Our family has lived here ever since. We have given them (officials) many petitions. Officials like VAO, Collector, and RDO have been visiting the place, but no steps have been taken so far. "
Santhi, 31, a mother of three children who came to Kolathur after her marriage, explains the hardships faced by the Irulars there.
Santhi, 31, a mother of three children who came to Kolathur after her marriage, explains the hardships faced by the Irulars there.
The aftermath of the cyclone in Kolathur has left two out of six families stranded without any house.
One of the stranded families’ ootu veedu (traditional house) was shattered due to the heavy wind and rainfall.
Karumaayi, mother to a two-month-old child, said she was unable to stay there due to the presence of otham (dampness on the ground due to rain), which could potentially affect her baby’s health.
"We have taken so many Xeroxes and gave our photos. Now, even to get Xerox, we have to earn. That’s how difficult it is."
Velu (35)
One of the affected families and Santhi's husband
The Kolathur Irulars were previously involved in a tree-cutting job but later stopped. The women now take up dish-washing and table-cleaning jobs in any wedding hall far from their house.
“We do have ration cards, but we did not get 100 naal velai thittam (100 days of assured work scheme) job cards. We get Rs. 400 to Rs. 700 per wedding, but weddings don’t happen every day. We have to go to Chengalpattu, which is nearly 30 kilometers from here,” said Santhi.
