TN govt directed to set up special camps for issuing ration, Aadhaar cards at Kalvarayan Hills

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed the State to conduct a special camp and appoint a special officer to provide essential documents such as ration cards and Aadhaar cards to the tribal people of Kalvarayan hills.

A division bench of Justice SM Subramaniam and Justice V Sivagnanam directed the State to ensure basic facilities like health, education, road and transport to the tribal population at Kalvarayan and file a comprehensive report on these aspects.

The bench further instructed that the State officials, including the forest department, should not abuse the innocent tribal people.

Additional Advocate General (AAG) J Ravindran submitted a status report on the actions taken by the forest department in the Kalvarayan hills region. The AAG also submitted that the State will productively take further steps.

Special government pleader submitted that 56 stretches had been identified to lay roads. Senior advocate KR Tamilmani, appointed amicus curiae, acknowledged the State's submission and confirmed that the government had initiated infrastructure projects, including laying roads.

He also sought the Court to direct the State to operate a minibus service twice daily in the morning and evening in these villages to reach schools and the mainland.

A retired professor from Loyola College submitted that tribal people at the hills government schemes do not reach them because ration and aadhaar cards have not been issued to them. He sought the Court's direction to bring Adi Dravidar schools under the school education department.

The bench directed the Adi Dravidar Welfare department to authorise a special officer to monitor if the State's schemes are available to the tribals. It directed a special camp be conducted to provide ration and aadhaar cards to the tribals.

The State was also directed to lay motorable roads expeditiously in the tribal villages, enabling the villagers to reach the mainland. The bench commented that other development aspects like employment can be explored once infrastructural developments are done in the tribal villages.

The bench posted the matter to September 19 for further submission.

The Madras High Court took up a suo motu case to protect the socio-economic status of the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) people residing in various villages in Kalvarayan hills after the Kallakurichi illicit hooch tragedy.