12 years on, relocated Irulas await electricity, voter ID

More than 45 families belonging to the Irula tribe, displaced from Thiruvanmiyur after the 2004 tsunami, are living in makeshift shelters, without electricity for the past 12 years. They wait to be allotted a permanent shelter by the Tamil Nadu Housing Board.

Mala (36), who lives in one of these shelters, says the community has been running from pillar to post for an electricity connection. “We don’t have a family card, despite repeatedly applying for it. The officials at the Mylapore Taluk Office, gave us an appointment and turned us away saying they haven’t received our files. We also called the Amma Call Centre but got no help,” she said, adding that they have been visited by a few political groups. “They said the electricity connection would be readied in three days, but nothing has happened,” she rued.  

After the death of the family patriarchs, originally snake catchers, the next generation of the Irula tribe is finding it tough. “Since we started living here, more than 40 people have died, some from insect bites in the dark. During the floods, our homes were submerged and we lived on the streets. We had asked officials to provide us with electricity or a permanent home in the Housing Board tenements. So far, no action has been taken,” said Perumal, a 32-year-old worker. 

Most adults here work as conservancy labourers or domestic help. There are around 50 school-going children, whose future hangs in the balance.  Kanika (34), a domestic worker said, “We have not been given Family Card or a community certificate – so most of our children are forced to drop out of school before 10th grade.”

C Srinivasan, a representative of the community, said, “After the tsunami, these families were displaced from Thiruvanmiyur to the Government Housing Board land in Besant Nagar on the Tahsildar’s order. Since then, no effort has been made to provide a permanent shelter to them. This stretch of land is in the prime real estate area and many of these families are under pressure to vacate.” 

Dr S Sumathi, Professor-Head, Dept of Anthropology, University of Madras, said, “Allied government departments must work together to provide shelter and facilities like electricity and water.”