Thiruvananthapuram: As COVID-19 cases surge amid a nationwide lockdown, the forest officials at Kottur Agasthyavanam Biological park in Kerala capital launch slew of measures to support and protect the tribal community in these tough times.
As soon as the lockdown was declared, the officials started off their lockdown duties by engaging in vehicle surveillance and restricting all vehicles reaching the forest boundaries.
As days passed, the forest staff set up hand wash counters in front of the 200 odd houses, in all the eleven forest hamlets (ooru) here, including Mangod and Kottur. The staff took special efforts to educate the people of tribal communities on the importance of washing hands thoroughly, trained them to use sanitisers and made it into a habit through awareness generation.
Besides, the forest dept personnel distributed cloth masks made by Self Help Groups in all the houses in these forest hamlets. They showed each of them how to wear the masks and the need for using masks now.
Read: Kerala introduces 'Vanika' to support forest communities
The forest staff delivered cereals and grocery kits to each of these houses. Pickles were prepared using the forest produces like mangoes and ginger, procured from these tribal hamlets through Vanika project, and distributed to the tribal families for free.
"All 133 families in the area have received soaps and a handwashing system has been set up outside each of their homes. Awareness campaigns are being run in every settlement and forest dept is selling the forest produce for market-rate thus eliminating middle man through 'Vanika' project," said KC Sinukumar, Forest section officer, Kottur.
"Forest department in association with civil supplies department is procuring groceries and distributing to all settlements," Sinukumar added.
In the coming days, the forest department in association with the health department will organise COVID-19 awareness campaigns for the people of tribal communities living here.
The initiative termed 'Vanika' was introduced to procure the forest produce and make it available in the open markets. The project intends to provide a platform to sell the mangoes, jackfruits, cashew nuts, honey and rubber sheets that these families collect from the forests. In association with the Eco-development committee, ‘Vanika’ also distributes these products to the people living in villages and towns.
Vanika’ initiative, introduced in order to ensure food and financial security for the forest dwellers, amid COVID-19 pandemic lockdown measures has been getting a good response among techies, social activists and entrepreneurs.
