Joda: Making leaf plates and bowls has been the sole livelihood source for Bhuyan tribals in Dhobakuchuda village under Chamakpur panchayat in Keonjhar district while some scrape their living by collecting brush sticks from forests and selling them in the market.
Though several poverty alleviation and income-generation programmes have been launched for the poor tribals, they get no benefit from them, a report said.
Over 1,000 Bhuyan tribals live in the village. The day of Bhuyan women begins with leaf collection in nearby forests. They hang huge bags, locally called as ‘Chata’, on their shoulders while collecting sal leaves.
After coming home, their families get together and make plates out of leaves by stitching them with small sticks.
Sita Nayak, a tribal woman, who has been into sall leaf plate-making for the last 30 years, said, “100 leaf plates sell for only Rs 10 while 100 bowls sell for only Rs 5. That too, one has to sell them in remote Jayantigad market in neighbouring Jharkhand. With that meagre earning, I find it too difficult to bear daily expenses of my family.”
With that earning, she had taken care of the education of her son Harekrushna, who has now become a school, Sita said.
Other women like Jain Nayak, Sahebani Nayak, Golap Nayak, Anchani Nayak, Kamali Nayak, Dasari Nayak, Sobhan Nayak and Prabha Nayak said leaf collection takes at least seven to eight hours in the forest besides the time invested in making plates.
“One can collect leaves for 150 to 200 plates at best per day. Selling 100 plates for `10 in remote markets isn’t commensurate with the labour we put in to collect the leaves,” a woman lamented.
Many women complained that none has come to their village to know of their plight while they have been deprived of government benefits under National Food Security Act (NFSA).
Many poor families have been left out of the NFSA cover, while elderly persons have been deprived of pension benefits, they alleged.
Sandhyarani Nayak, a student of Plus II, said, “After coming from college, I sit to stitch leaves to supplement my family’s income. It is too difficult to pursue studies from this meagre income.”
High school student Tulasi Nayak, class-VII student Mita Nayak and class-VII student Akash Nayak said they too have to help their families in leaf plate-making.
Bhasakar Nayak and Ajit Nayak said no elected representative has ever visited the village to take stock of the people’s condition here.
Earlier, some people used to earn by working in mines but now with mines remaining closed now that source of income has also gone.
Skill development programmes for which lakhs of rupees are invested have been a dream for educated youths of the village, locals said. PNN
