Dependence on forest for source of their daily bred would no more prove meaningful for the Kadugolla community which is struggling to join the mainstream.
Once forest was everything for them. But today, being deprived of the basic facilities the community living on the fringes of mainstream society faces a lot of problems.
With population of nearly six lakh, the tribal community constitutes majority of the electorate in the district constituency. However their charm as ‘vote bank’ has not helped them to get basic facilites yet. There are nearly 600 ‘hattis’ (where the tribal people live together). They follow their traditional norms even to this day with great faith.
However, economically and socially the tribal community has remained backward. Come summer, the tribe will have nightmares and many huts are usually gutted due to fire mishap. Every year nearly 10 to 20 hattis are gutted in the summer.
According to Karnataka State Kagugolla Welfare Association leaders their huts are vulnerable to the firemishaps due to the congested space within the houses. Within a few squares of land, they have to accommodate bathroom, kitchen. Besides, they also keep the cow-sheds, sheep adjuscent to the houses. During the fire mishap they will lose these animals on which they depend for income.
They store the fossils, logs near the house which are aslo a reason for firemishap. A few days ago an old-woman in Neralakatte of Turuvekere taluk succumbed to burns and her hut was gutted in a firemishap, said the leaders of the community. They vented their ire over the apathy of the officials and elected representatives towards the tribal community.
Gimmick
When a fire mishap occurs, the politicians will come, and as a token of charity, give some money, cloth. However, the leaders term this as gimmick to lure the voters. They don’t plan anything tangible for the welfare of the community, said Presiden of the Association Machenahalli D Kariyappa.
When Ramakrishna Heggade was chief minister, Belli-Belaku scheme for the welfare of Kadugolla community was planned. After a few decades, during the rule of the JD(S)-BJP combine governement, former chief minister Kumaraswamy had visited the place and spoke to the community people.
He had assured of sanctiong grants for ‘Krishna Kutira’, a building with amenitites for pregnant women who following the tradition, would be literally kept away from the community area. The pregnant women will have to under go tortous experience during their delivery period. However, with Kumaraswamy’s plan remaining just an assurance, the women have been left with no hope, said General Secretary J Ramesh.
The Association wanted Kadugolla hattis to be considered seperate revenue villages. Mr Kumaraswamy had directed the deputy commissioner to conduct a survey in this regard. But nothing is known about the survey till this day, said Kariyappa.
The community which comes under the Scheduled category 1 and of the 104 castes listed under this category Kadugolla community was given the last position. Hence, the community is entitled for only four percent reservation in educational institution. In 1966 the Union Government had included the ‘Adavigollas’ in the nomadic tribes’ category. As per this order, Kadugolla as a synonym to the the word Adavigolla also comes under the category. Considering this, the Backward Class commission should consider the community under Scheduled Tribe, the members of the Association demanded.
