No specific scheme for migrants'

Interview with C. Samayamoorthy, Collector of Tirupur district.

C. SAMAYAMOORTHY is the first Collector of Tirupur district. In the wake of reports in a section of the press about the high incidence of suicides in July, he took a series of steps to ascertain the facts and initiate remedial measures. Excerpts from an interview he gave Frontline:

What necessitated the setting up of the suicide prevention panel in Tirupur?

Close on the heels of reports in a couple of newspapers that there was a high rate of suicide attempts in Tirupur, I checked up with the Crime Records Bureau and found that over 400 persons had committed suicide last year. We identified the stakeholders [for inclusion in the suicide prevention panel]. We decided to constitute a committee comprising officials of the Revenue, Health, Police, Industries and Social Welfare departments, besides representatives of the Tirupur Exporters' Association and the South Indian Hosiery Manufacturers' Association. Functionaries of NGOs working for women and children welfare were also included.

The panel's first meeting was held on August 11. It was some sort of a brainstorming session, which enabled the administration to get a lot of information on the issue. Apart from this, taluk-level committees have been formed to prevent suicides owing to land disputes. These committees are headed by Deputy Collectors or Revenue Divisional Officers, who will peruse petitions and make recommendations for necessary action. A suicide prevention clinic has also been set up at the district headquarters hospital.

Has the district administration conducted any study on the high incidence of suicide? What are the factors contributing to suicide or suicide attempts?

Long before the suicide prevention committee was constituted I formed a panel comprising officials of the Health, Social Welfare and Education departments to go into the issue in the wake of some NGOs bringing to my notice problems faced by women after marriage. There are also cases of unwed mothers and love failure. During one of the recent public grievances day meetings, a woman with her baby pleaded her case that she had been deserted by her husband. In this area, there is a prevalence of cross-cultural connections. There are people from other districts of Tamil Nadu and even from other States here. Love failure is one of the main factors.

According to feedback from members of the suicide prevention panel, land disputes, money transactions, grabbing of assets, failure in examination, atrocities committed by husband, extra-marital relationships, failed love marriages, nuclear family, misunderstandings in the family, dowry harassment, financial crisis and impulsive behaviour are some of the causes that drive people to take the extreme step.

Alcoholism, indebtedness, failure in business and occupational hazards such as long working hours are said to be the reasons for men in the district committing suicide.

Has usury, or kanduvatti, contributed to the problem?

We have asked the police to curb it totally. In some places cases have been booked [against persons who practice kanduvatti]. This subject has been discussed in every review meeting on law and order.

Consuming cow dung powder (malachite green), a chemical substitute for cow dung, is said to be the means most commonly adopted for suicides. Has the district administration banned its sale?

We will ban it at the district level. The police have already started seizing the chemical.

What are the welfare programmes devised for migrant workers and their families in Tirupur town?

We don't have any specific programme for migrants. In fact, many of them settled down in the town more than 10-15 years ago. We don't discriminate between migrants and the local people. But we have been improving basic amenities wherever they are required. They are also eligible for ration cards if they have surrendered the cards obtained in their native places. Voter ID cards can also be issued to them.

Shortage of quality housing is said to be the main drawback of Tirupur. Is there a plan for a housing project to improve the conditions in the slums?

There are about 8,000 slum dwellers in the town. The Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board has asked for some land for the construction of 2,000 tenements in a phased manner. We have identified a site 15 km away from the town for this project. As an alternative arrangement, we are planning to construct houses on a hire-purchase basis on corporation land where these people now reside. Under the Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme, 150 to 200 houses are constructed every year at a unit cost of Rs.1.10 lakh.

We have already sent a proposal to the government for the construction of dormitories on a two-three acre site on the outskirts of the town for accommodating 500 men and an equal number of women workers.

Ours is a new district and a new corporation. I think things will stabilise after a period of five years if we maintain the same pace of development. The town has grown on its own with a 40 per cent decadal growth against the average growth rate of 10-15 per cent.

How do you evaluate the knitwear industry's performance with regard to corporate social responsibility?

They have taken some steps in this direction. Most of the exporters have joined together to launch an NGO known as Valam. They have taken up projects such as construction of bridges and desilting of the Noyyal river. They have also contributed to the administration's plan to make Tirupur green and clean. Last year, 1.5 lakh saplings were planted and this year also the programme continues. One of the exporters has donated Rs.98 lakh for the construction of more buildings at the corporation girls' school in the town. Some others have adopted schools.

Trade unions have a grouse that their representatives have not been included in the suicide prevention panel.

We can definitely co-opt them in the committee as special invitees.