The Irulars are one of the most impoverished tribes in Tamil Nadu.
The Irulars are one of the most impoverished tribes in Tamil Nadu. These traditional forest-dwelling people have drifted towards cities and towns over generations. In urban areas, they live in secluded tarpaulin-roofed huts without access to electricity or toilets. Even today, their main source of livelihood is cutting wood and hunting small animals. NewsClick visited a couple of Irular settlements near Kanchipuram to get a first-hand account of their plight.