THOOTHUKUDI: Seventeen is no age to shoulder the burden of a family. Blame it on the lockdown, this teenager from Arasarkulam has no other go but to climb palm trees and extract ‘pathaneer’ to make ends meet.    

Krishnaperumal, a class 11 student, took up the job as the income of his father — Balasubramanian, a crystal salt vendor — started seeing a decline. “I have three sisters and my mother is a daily-wage farm labourer. Now, with the dwindling income, we are finding it difficult to run the family,” he said.

Krishnaperumal’s father wanted him to take up the job of climbing palm trees after he completes class 12. “But, I chose to climb now itself as schools are shut,” he said.     

Activist V Gunaselan said that generally, youth do not come forward for climbing palmyra trees due to the alleged ‘low social status’ associated with the job.

“Climbing tress will cause bruises on hands and chests and is a risky affair. The government should provide welfare schemes to the youth.”