Ambumala Medical Camp ; letters

A BRIEF DISCRIPTION OF AMBUMALA, VETTILAKKOLLY &

PALAKKAYAM TRIBAL COLONY IN MALAPPURAM DIST.

1. AMBUMALA TRIBAL COLONY
This colony is situated in Malappuram district across Calicut-Malappuram border. The colony houses
25 families with a population of 78 people belonging to Paniya family, a primitive community among
tribals. The name of  Mooppan is Valiya Chemban (63 yeras) and Mooppathi
Chakkivelutha (90 years) These people do not have basic facilities of life and it is as if they are living in an isolated planet on earth.  

Who will provide roof over their head

A Panchayath (Chaliyar) project was sanctioned in 2009 to build 22 houses for the tribal people. But, unfortunately, only 3 houses were completed and the other 19 houses are incomplete and dilapidated. The constuction has reched only half way even after 5 years. The construction of only the basement and walls has been completed and now it is ruining due to wind and rain. It is sad to state that the existing huts of poor people are demolished for the purpose of making new ones. The colony residents are now living in temporary houses made of plastic sheets and leaves . The huts are leaking which have no capacity to resist rain and wind. It was as if they were thrown from the frying pan to the fire. Their life was miserable for the last four years and next monsoon is coming within a month.It is true that tribal people did not complain about the delay in house construction. This unawareness is exploited by many.
    According to Chaliyar Grama Panchayath authorities, the contractors had stopped the works as there were no good road and hence transportation of building material is very difficult. There is no electric connection in the colony.

A medical camp conducted by Dr. Mary Joseph B.Sc., M.B.B.S in December 2010 and July 2013 revealed the following findings. There are ten children in the colony below the age of five. All the
children and women suffer from anemia and malnutrition. There are four physically handicapped persons. One woman suffer from sickle cell anemia and 3 others are carriers of the same. One resident died on 07-07-2013 due to T.B.

Education has taken a back seat here. The tribal school in the forest has 18 children enrolled
from class I to Class IV. The school does not have basic facilities. There is only one teacher in the
school who has to walk hours through the jungle to reach the school. The villagers demanded that the
school be upgraded to class VII. During monsoon, the teacher cannot reach school since the road gets
damaged. There is no health centre anywhere near. The residents have to travel a distance of 2 km.
through the forest to reach the main road and travel 40 km to reach MANJERI; or 20 km to reach
NILAMBUR to get treatment.

2. VETTILAKOLLY COLONY
The living condition in VETTILAKOLLY Colony is still worse than AMBUMALA. Situated in a
remote area in dense forest, attack of wild animal is a common event. Villagers demand that the
authorities should dig trenches around the colony to keep wild elephants away. There are 25 families
and all of them belonged to Paniyan community. The name of Vettilakkolly Mooppan is Cheriyapalan
(72 years) and Mooppathi Chakki (67 years). 5 persons in this colony suffer from sickle cell anemia.
There are 8 children below the age of 5. All children suffer from anemia and malnutrition. One mother and child suffer from T.B. Some of them did not renew health card. Six families did not received ration card. The services of Kudumbasree and Anganwadi, organizations for the upliftment of village masses do not function here. There are six orphans below the age of 5. There is one child whose mother expired, and another child whose father expired. Five houses are partially built with a concrete roof but incomplete. There is no schools nearby.
  One family gets 35 kg. rice per month but they have to pay Rs. 1000/- as jeep charge as there is no proper road. They have meals once a day, most of the time only in the evening.
There is no medical centre nearby and the patients have to travel long distance through the forest to reach the hospital in NILAMBUR.

KERALA HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION’S ORDER

As there is no response from the authorities regarding the grievances of the tribals for the last
one year , we forwarded representation to the Human Rights Commission. They passed the order in
their sitting on 26/11/2011 Ref. No. HRMP No. 7962/13/KKD (Copy of Order enclosed) and forwarded to the honourable Chief Minister of Kerala, Malappuram District Collector, Chief Secretary, Govt. of Kerala, Principal Secretary SC/ST development etc., for necessary action.

REQUIREMENTS OF COLONY RESIDENTS

•  Convenient road to Ambumala and Vettilakolly colony.
•  Complete the construction of 19 houses already started and stopped midway in Ambumala        Colony.

•  Upgrade the tribal schools to class 7 in Ambumala Colony and increase the infrastructure.
•  Provide electric connection in both colony
•  Construct a health centre with adequate staff and other facilities in both colony.

ELECTRIFICATION OF TRIBAL COLONY

In Ambumala about 1.5 km. and Vettilakolly about 3 km. land line is necessary for electric
connection. Under ground cable is recommended as the land line get damaged by wild animal, especially elephants may uproot electric post. Installation of solar system is not practical as the shadow of growing trees may reduce the solar output in future and attack of wild animals is a common event. Further, tribal people are not having basic ideas of this technology and repair and proper maintenance of battery and inverter may not be possible.

3. PALAKKAYAM COLONY
This colony consists of 34 families (100 members) of Muthuvan Caste and 16 families (54 members
of Kattunaikkan Caste, Total 154 members. Name of Colony Mooppan is Krishnan Kutty (58 years) and Mooppathi Mani (76 Years). Mooppan of Kaattunaikkan Caste is Karian and Mooppathi Karikka.

AMBUMALA, VETTILAKKOLLY AND PALAKKAYAM
TRIBAL COLONY 

The following are tribal mooppans and moopathis 

                               Ambumala - Valiya chemban (moopan)
                                                   - Chakki velutha (moopathi)

                                Vettilakolly - Cheriya Palan   (mooppan)

                                                    - Chakki                (moopathi)

                                    

                                 Palakkayam (muthuvan) - Krishnankutty (moopan)

                                  

                                                                          - Mani (moopathi)

                                  Palakkayam (kaattunaykkan) - Karian (moopan)

                                                                                - Karikka (moopathi)

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