Kerala: Over 2 years’ delay in relief to tribal families

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After more than two years, the government finally announced an interim relief of Rs 1 lakh each for the next of kin of tribal families who had lost their infants in Attapadi, Palakkad. As many as 23 infants died in Attapadi in a span of 25 months from July 27, 2017 till August 23, 2019.

Earlier, Palakkad collector, based on the order of the national human rights commission, had recommended the state government to provide the compensation ordered by the commission.The collector had given a report to the government in this regard on January 4, 2020. In effect, the compensation offer for families comes four-and-a-half years after the first child's death.
From 2016 till 2021, 52 infants died in Attapadi, the highest number of deaths were reported in 2017 (14) and 2018 (13), respectively. In 2020, the tribal infant mortality rate in Kerala was 21.5%, as per the records available with the government.
Also, subsequent governments have claimed that they had earmarked funds for improving health infrastructure in Attapadi while several whistleblowers came out stating that the funds aren't reaching the beneficiaries, fully, due to the corruption involved.
Recently, former superintendent of Kottathara tribal speciality hospital Dr Prebhudas was transferred from his post when he openly stated that some of the corrupt officials had misled health minister Veena George during her recent visit to tribal hamlets, without providing an opportunity for those concerned to come up with what they had to say about the matters in the area. The infant mortality in Attapadi continues to make headlines even as governments have been coming up with newer initiatives for betterment in the area. In February last year, with an aim to ensure that the benefits of all schemes and services reach the right beneficiaries, the government had carved out a taluk, based in Attapadi, which was originally part of Mannarkkad taluk.
The new taluk was formed by carving out some villages from the existing Mannarkkad taluk based on the recommendations of former additional chief secretary D Babu Paul who had cited the need for constituting the taluk long ago. As many as 32,614 tribespeople from 10,549 families in 192 tribal hamlets live here.
Attapadi block was constituted in 1962 with six villages namely Agali, Kallamala, Kottathara, Padavayal, Pudur and Sholayur. The tribal population in Attapadi has been calculated as (approx.) 44% of the total population in the area. The main tribal communities are Irula, Muduga and Kurumba, of which the socio economic status of the Kurumba community is the most-backward when compared to others.