JOIN USKarnataka Elections: Which are the two Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups in the state?
Assembly elections in Karnataka will be held in single phase on May 10 while the counting of votes will take place on May 13, the Election Commission announced on Wednesday.
Aiming at complete inclusion and participation in the assembly polls, 100 per cent enrolment of eligible 'Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups' (PVTGs) in Karnataka is being ensured, the CEC said, adding that 40 'ethnic polling stations' will be set up for the PVTGs.
The poll-bound state is home to two such Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups:
The Jenu Kurumba are a tribal group mainly inhabiting along the border forests of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Also referred to "Then Kurumba" which translates to honey, the group has an estimate population of around 37,000. They traditionally gather honey and other forest produce for a living.
The tribe, has been evicted from their homes right the 70s till date due to conservation measures in the various tiger reserves in the Nilgiris, such as Nagarhole and Bandipur. The group has repeatedly fought for their rights to live in the unreserved forest, most recent on being in 2020, under the terms of Forest Rights Act.
The second group in the list is Koraga, a tribal community predominantly inhabited in districts commonly referred to as 'Tulu Nadu' such as Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada Shivamogga and Kodagu, along with Kasaragod district in neighboring Kerala.
Numbering at around 16,000 according to the 2001 census, they speak an independent language influenced by Tulu, Kannada and Malayalam.
The community is known for their dream beating or dolu beating which is considered one of their vital contributions culturally.