Unaware of Covid, Bonda tribals lead carefree life

The tribals belonging to PVTG category continue life sans masks, sanitisers

The Bondas, one of the primitive tribal groups, living on the top of Bonda hills under Khairiput block of Odisha’s Malkangiri district are still unaware that the world has plunged into a major health crisis called the Coronavirus pandemic. The Bondas continue to live their life like any other normal period. Neither are they using masks nor sanitisers to ward off Covid-19 infections, much because of the fact that they have not yet been apprised about the disease and its damaging impacts.

“No one has come here so far to make the people aware about the disease. These people who are living on hilltops rarely visit local markets and hence have little chance of getting infected. However, if any of them get infected by any means, the situation will be beyond control as our people do not have much knowledge of modern healthcare and hygiene,” Dambaburu Sisa, a Bonda tribal and former Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA), said.

Sisa said there was an urgent need on the part of the state government to depute special officers to Bonda hills and ensure good hygiene of the tribals living there.

Bigna Kirsani, a Bonda youth who was previously chairperson of Khairput block, said the local residents do not have access to information.

“Since most of the villages under Mudulipada and Andrahal gram panchayats don’t have power supply, they can’t watch television. Other means of communication like telephone and radio still remain a distant dream for them. The only medium of reaching out to them is engagement of volunteers and social workers. Some of us who have got a little bit of education are doing our best to make them aware about the threats posed by Covid-19,” said Kirsani.

Sharing an interesting experience while distributing masks and sanitisers, Kirsani said when they entered different hamlets and villages, the people asked them, “What is Covid?”

He informed that some social workers had mobilised some masks and santisers from non-governmental organisations and distributed them among the tribals.

The district Project Director of Malkangiri B.M. Bhuyan, who in fact monitors Bonda development, could not be reached for his comments. A call to his mobile phone went unanswered.

Bonda Development Agency chief K.T. Behera also remained incommunicado.

Categorised as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), the Bondas are an endangered tribal community.