About 58% of children of palm tree climbers are irregular students at schools as they lack transportation [to reach schools] and electricity, according to a report Denied livelihood of migrant palmyra workers leads to denial of education and health of children.
The report was released here on Thursday by Manila Panaithozhilalargal Matrum Kaivinaignargal Sangam (MPMKS). Addressing the event, MPMKS general secretary M. Subbaiah said: “The palmyra climbers have to take loans from local lenders to even begin their livelihood. This means that they have to sell their wares back to the same lenders, from whom they avail of loans, who only who buy it at lowest rates and sell it at higher rates outside.”
While the men go to collect the sap, the women make palm jaggery, which is slowly being replaced with white sugar jaggery owing to its lower prices. This has caused distress among the workers. “We are now unable to pay back our loans,” K. Tamilselvi, from Sayalkudi, said.
