Boipariguda: People of Durua community residing in tribal dominated Koraput district have been demanding scheduled tribe status for their community for a long time, a report said Friday. However, they are being viewed differently by two different district administrations in the state. People of the community residing in Malkangiri district have been able to get a caste certificate while their counterparts in Koraput district are not so fortunate as they are deprived of a caste certificate.
Observers alleged that there is no unanimity among the officials of the two district administrations. Sources said that the people of Durua community reside along Kolab river basin spread over Odisha and Chhattisgarh. People of the community live in Gupteshwar panchayat of Boipariguda block, Aasana, Bagderi areas of Kundura block, Tatarla, Kerimiti and Kotpad of Kotpad block in Koraput district. They also reside on the fringes of Mathili block in Malkangiri district. In neighbouring Chhattisgarh, they are known as Duruva tribe and have received the scheduled tribe status.
However, they have been deprived of the benefit in Koraput district due to difference in pronunciation of the name of the community. They have distinct language, culture and traditions like all other tribes. The state government has accorded tribal status to their culture with the community members being involved in various tribal fairs (Adivasi Melas) organised in the state.
However, the Koraput district administration hesitates when it comes to provide them with a caste certificate. The then District Collector Usha Padhi first initiated the step to accord scheduled tribe status to the community. During her tenure, the members of the community were provided tribal certificates and land pattas under Forest Rights Act (FRA). Restrictions were even imposed on transfer of land of the Durua community to the members of general castes. The subsequent district administration stopped issuing them caste certificates stating that Duruas do not come in the list of scheduled tribes. The handwritten caste certificates which the members of the community had received no longer cater to their needs. As a result, they have been deprived of the benefits accruing to the scheduled tribes.
Reports said that over 90 per cent of the population in Gupteshwar panchayat of Boipariguda block is from Durua community. However, their children have been deprived of studying in a residential school due to absence of a caste certificate. Lack of a caste certificate has also deprived the community’s women in getting as small as a service like an Anganwadi worker. Moreover, their lands are being grabbed and encroached by the members of general community. When contacted and asked about according scheduled tribe status to Durua community, Boipariguda tehsildar Snigdha Choudhury said that Duruas are not included in the list of scheduled tribes. They do not have any documentary evidence to substantiate their claims, for which providing them caste certificates is not possible.
On the otherhand, Mathili tehsildar Chandan Bhoi in Malkangiri district said there is no problem in providing scheduled tribe certificates to the members of Durua community as the surname has no relation with the tribe. Many of them do not have land pattas but are being issued a scheduled tribe certificate on the basis of their tradition and culture, Bhoi added. Koraput Durua community president Mira Chalan said they have submitted memorandums in this regard to the state government and the Centre at various points of time. The National Commission of Scheduled Tribe (NCST) member Ananta Nayak visited them in 2021 and collected various evidences and data to forward those to the Union government. However, nothing has been done so far. Chalan warned of a major agitation in the coming days if their demands are not addressed soon.