Tamil Nadu: Irulas left in lurch, seek succour

CHENNAI: Kishore, a 50-year-old Irula from the Naduvakkarai settlement in Chengalpet district, hasn't eaten a decent meal since the red alert for the rain was announced. The stored rations are dwindling and his family has been forced to skip a few meals as it is unable to find firewood to cook. "We are all daily wage workers. With great difficulty we have made our children study.Whenever it rains, we suffer," says Kishore.
Most Irula tribe members haven't been able to find work. A few NGOs are collecting dry rations for them.
The state of Narikuruvas is similar. Ashwini, who met chief minister M K Stalin during Diwali, says they can manage if the government supplies rice and dal. "We neither have money nor the rations."
Deepa Umashankar, managing trustee of Wings to Hope Charity for Children, an NGO that has been working with these tribes for more than eight years says she visited some houses a day ago and found them in bad shape. "The floors of their homes are slushy. Nearly 70% don't get ration supply as they don't have cards. They don't have gas connections. If the government can provide kerosene stoves or ensure a community kitchen is set up during natural disasters such as monsoons it will help," she says.
The district administration had supplied free meals for a few days after the red alert was announced. But, many didn't get the meals. Those that got them found them inadequate.