Irulars still dream of owning land and stable lives

VELLORE: Owning a piece of land remains a dream for people belonging to the Irular community. Over 35 Irular families live in ‘Odai Poramboke’ land at the Irular hamlet in Alagar Nagar near Alamelumangapuram within the limits of the Vellore City Municipal Corporation.

“Two generations have gone and we live in thatched roof huts because my father and grandfather did not own property. They were labourers employed to guard the landowners’ property,” K Chinnasamy (45) told TNIE. They received wages in the form of produce.

Therefore, we could not think about savings or owning property, he said. Another resident K. Nithyanandham, who sells tender coconuts, said, “We have managed to earn by working as wage labourers in brick kiln units and farm lands.

We would be able to lead a stable life if we got our own land.” They said they were offered houses in a multi-storey building a few years ago. “We opted out of it as some of us rear cattle and grow plants to make herbal concoctions,” said Chinnasamy adding that they would prefer independent houses.