Tamil Nadu: Smiles Return as TAHDCO Steps In— Sriperumbudur's Irula Tribes to Get Long-Promised Homes by Year-End

Sriperumbudur/Tamil Nadu- After weeks of distress, 82 Irula tribal families in Sriperumbudur can finally breathe a sigh of relief. The Tamil Nadu government has intervened to ensure their homes will be constructed by the Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar Housing and Development Corporation (TAHDCO), with work set to begin on May 1, 2025, and completion expected by year-end. Earlier the number of homes to be constructed were for 88 families however, since 6 belong to the Scheduled Caste community, the scheme would not be applicable for them.

The resolution comes after intense advocacy by the Sriperumbudur Irular People Welfare Association, led by its president, Kavitha Thandhoni. The crisis began on March 27, 2025, when the Sriperumbudur Block Development Office informed the families that they would have to construct their own houses under the PM-JANMAN scheme, despite earlier assurances of government-built homes.

The directive left the impoverished and largely illiterate community in shock, as they lacked the financial means, construction expertise, and logistical support to undertake such a massive task.

Kavitha Thandhoni, representing the affected families, escalated the matter to Annadurai C.L.S., the Tribal Welfare Director of Tamil Nadu. She highlighted the impracticality of expecting daily wage laborers—many of whom lack formal identification, banking access, and even basic literacy—to manage construction independently. "Our people were given land pattas but no way to build on them. How could they arrange materials, hire labor, or oversee construction when they struggle just to feed their families?" she asked.

Government Steps In: TAHDCO Takes Charge

Following the appeal, the Tribal Welfare Directorate initiated urgent discussions with TAHDCO, a state-run agency specializing in housing for marginalized communities. On April 4, 2025, Kavitha and a delegation of Irula tribal representatives met with Director Annadurai, who assured them that TAHDCO would now handle the construction entirely.

"We have been informed now by the Tribal Welfare Director of Tamilnadu that the Houses Construction will commence on May 1, 2025 and TAHDCO will construct the houses. We were also told that the District Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Officer of Kanchipuram District will coordinate this.

We are hoping that the government will keep up to their promise this time unlike the earlier promises that were broken.

Every year during the North East Monsoon, these people are affected the most. It would be a huge relief if the houses are completed and handed over before the onset of North East Monsoon," SuryaMohan K, a volunteer from ARAN, an organisation working for the welfare of Irula families told The Mooknayak.

The TAHDCO intervention has rekindled hope among the Irula families, who had been living in dilapidated huts without electricity, clean water, or proper sanitation. For years, they were caught in a cycle of bureaucratic delays, from the unfulfilled promises of the Kalaignarin Kanavu Illam Scheme to the abrupt shift to the self-construction model under PM-JANMAN.

Now, with a firm commitment from the state, the families can finally look forward to safe, permanent homes. "We’ve waited so long for this day," said Murugan, a community elder. "Knowing that TAHDCO will build our houses means we can stop worrying and start dreaming of a better future."

For the Irula tribes of Sriperumbudur, it’s more than just houses—it’s about dignity, security, and the right to a life free from bureaucratic neglect. As Kavitha put it, "Today, we see what happens when the government truly listens to its people."