Committee seeks free housing and other government benefits for Shillekyata nomadic fishing community

The Karavali Vruttinirata Aemarigala (Shillekyata) Hkkugala Udupi District Committee on Tuesday urged the district administration to provide various government facilities, including housing, to members of the Shillekyata nomadic fishing community.

The Karavali Vruttinirata Aemarigala (Shillekyata) Hkkugala Udupi District Committee on Tuesday urged the district administration to provide various government facilities, including housing, to members of the Shillekyata nomadic fishing community.

Committee honorary adviser Santosh Bajal told reporters in Udupi that about 25 Shillekyata families were engaged in coracle fishing in rivers in Udupi, Halady, Brahmavar, Malpe, Kattabelthur, Katpady, and Pangala for many years. They reside in makeshift accommodations on the river banks leading a life of penury.

Besides leading a hard life, the Shillekyatas also were victims of harassment by some local elements, Mr. Bajal said, citing a recent assault on families near Gulvadi in Kundapur taluk. Belonging to a micro-nomadic community, the Shillekyatas were in need of various government facilities, including free accommodation. The district administration should ensure the community gets all facilities, Mr. Bajal said.

He noted that benefits announced by the Social Welfare Department and the Karnataka Alemari and Are-Alemari Development Corporation did not reach the Shillekyata community. On the other hand, in the absence of any documents because of their nomadic nature, the members were deprived of many benefits. Despite members attempting to get settled at one place to provide education to their children, the administration did not respond properly.

Though the Kundapur Rural police have registered an FIR charging some local people of Gulvadi village with outraging the modesty of women regarding the recent assault, no one was arrested. People’s representatives did not visit the families either, Mr. Bajal lamented.

He demanded a social, economic and education audit of the community, issuance of identity and health cards, free housing, basic amenities to their makeshift houses, proper ration distribution etc., to the community members.