Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has been urged to constitute a development board exclusively for Adivasis or forest dwellers for their comprehensive development.
S. Sreekanth of Development through Education (DEED), organisation working on tribal issues, said this was imperative for implementing the forest rights Act and rehabilitating tribal communities who have endured injustice over the centuries. Mr. Sreekanth said there are nearly 1,500 tribal hamlets in the Western Ghats spread over nine districts and 32 taluks where about 70,000 Adivasis have been living for centuries.
The CM was also urged to implement the recommendations of the Dr. Muzaffar Assadi Committee as per which 3,418 Adivasis in Mysuru region have to be rehabilitated. This was as per a High Court order and pertained to tribals evicted from forests consequent to the formation of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, said Mr. Sreekanth.
He said though repeated pleas have been made to successive governments to pay attention to the plight of the Adivasis, they have been left to fend for themselves.
Drawing attention to the condition of the 116 ashram schools which provides education to tribal children, Mr. Sreekanth said it needs a comprehensive overhaul and ashram schools should be brought under the purview of the Department of Education. At present it functions under the Department of Social Welfare and the quality of education was questionable which was affecting nearly 10,000 tribal children, he added.
Reiterating the need for establishing a tribal university, Mr. Sreekanth said it was imperative to document and study the tribal lifestyle. He said such a university could be established in Hunsur or any suitable place with a sizeable presence of tribal community.
Other demands include declaration of tribal hamlets as revenue villages so as to extend civic amenities besides ensuring better connectivity, water, UGD, and power supply. These were also some of the decisions taken by NGOs and tribal activists coming under a common platform during a tribal parliament convened sometime ago and the government should take cognizance of it, he said.
