HD Kote Tribal women is BR Hills ZP member

Thanks for the 33 per cent of reservation for women, which has helped this 38-year-old tribal women Ketamma to enter politics. Hailing from HD Kote, Soliga Community tribe, Ketamma was never aware that she would become Zilla Panchayat
Member.

Like other girls of her community, after completion of 7th standard, she has entered forest for livelihood, accompanied with her parents. But her desire for serving for her community people has never left her.

As the days passed, due to the inspiration of her school teachers words and well wishers, she contested in Gram Panchayat elections and was elected as member in 2000. From there she has never turned back. From 2000-10 she has served as member and President of Taluk Panchayat and at present she is serving as Zilla Panchayat Member at BR Hills in Chamarajanagar.

The credit of providing water facility for nine villages in BR hills goes to Ketamma. She is creating awareness among tribals about forest rights and their reservation. Apart this, she has taken the initiative to provided title deeds
for about 1500 tribes.

She says, its her luck she got the chance to enter politics and thanked MP Dhruvanarayan for providing her the opportunity.

'I have used the facilities provided by government and have reached this position. Every tribe should be aware of their rights and to claim their rights. At present only about 30 per cent of tribes are aware of legal issues,' she said.

'We have obtained only 50 per cent of facilities from the government and we are deprived of basic facilities like health, education, and transportation facilities. Since I have come to power, have taken initiative to provide drinking water facility for nine villages, my next step is towards providing good roads and creating awareness among tribes about the importance of education,' she added.

She said that many schools have been opened to provide education for tribal, but due to lack of awareness among parents most of them are not sending their children to school and the children are deprived of education. She requested government to provide special grants under Tribal Sub-Plan for the welfare of tribes.

'I have a special attachment with mother nature. We the tribes are the one who are protecting forest from smugglers, accompanied with Forest Department,' says Ketamma with proud.