Kollankode, Palakkad: Tribal colonies across the country cry for development and the situation in Kerala is no different. Dead bodies need to be carried on shoulders for burial from the Parathode tribal colony here for lack of roads. The body of Kandan, 70, had to be carried on foot through a silt-filled bund the other day. It was placed in an ambulance later and taken to the Thamarapadom crematorium six kilometers away. 

The member of the Eravalan community had died of cancer at the Thrissur Medical College Hospital the other day.  Two months ago another dead tribal named Mani had to be cremated in the colony itself.

There is no road to the Parathode tribal colony where nearly 100 Eravalan families live, though development initiatives by the local self-government bodies had led to the building of several roads in nearby areas.

Officials say hurdles to land acquisition hinders road projects in the area. 

Eravalan community seeks community certificate

The clamour for community certificate by the Eravalan peoples is unresolved despite long years of demands and protests. The community residing in Kollankode in Elvancheri panchayat of Palakkad district was denied scheduled tribe certificate following the Kirthards report of 2008. Without the certificate the students are unable to study and government concessions are not available. A 198 day-long agitation in front of the Kollenkode village office has been by and large ignored. The tribals do not have proper housing and are living in thatched houses. There is no road either. 

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