Community certificates to be given to 66 Irular tribals; housing to be improved

CHENNAI: Hours after TNIE published a report on 28 Irular tribal families living in Chengalpattu district’s Vittilapuram village without community certificates, district officials on Monday visited the hamlet and identified 66 individuals who will be issued certificates.

Collector Rahul Nadh said the process to issue community certificates would begin soon and the tribals would be relocated for better housing. “Enumeration and preparation work is on,” he said. TNIE had highlighted how these tribals, who have been living near Erikarai for more than a century, lack proper housing and toilets, despite schemes being in place.

Their houses too have been surrounded by private plots, resulting in them not being able to enter or exit their hamlet without the help of the plot owners. In the absence of such basic facilities, the tribal residents are also forced to defecate in the open and with no community certificates, they are unable to avail themselves of scholarships as well.