A study on seasonal migrant palmyra workers’ families in Ramanathapuram district in the State has exposed deplorable conditions such as child labour and denial of school education to 69% of children.

According to the study, children in the age group of 3-6 travel a distance of 3-5 km to avail ICDS services.

The distance to ICDS for 13% children is more than 20 km and for 17% children the distance is 6-10 km.

“The poor and marginalised palmyra labourers are landless. They migrate to palmgroves with the children. Of the 396 migrant settlements covered in the study, 88% of the families migrated with children,” said A.R. Muniyasamy, president of State Palmyrah Workers and Handicrafts Society.

The labourers are forced to sell the produce to particular merchants who lend money in advance.

The government has not been able to provide water supply, PDS services, public health services, neighbourhood schools and public transport facilities in migrant settlements. Almost half the year, the families spend their lives in palmyra groves without access to any basic services.

“It is extremely unacceptable that a generation of children continue to live and work in inhuman conditions,” said Mr. Muniyasamy.

“There are various national and international laws and policies recognising the rights of children, but those are meaningless in the lives of palmyra tapping families,” said Mr. Muniyasamy.

Participants at the meeting stressed on the need for initiatives on bridge schools in the palmyra groves during the migrant season to prevent children from dropping out of school.