Anantapur: CERA bats for economic uplift of toddy tappers

Anantapur: Centre for Rural Action (CERA), an NGO, which once was actively engaged in sex workers rights education and rehabilitation programme, is now embarking on organising the Ediga and Gouds communities into the project for tapping 'Neera Wine' from 'Eetha Chettu' (palm dates tree).

The district, which is rich in palm tree heritage, has large presence of palm trees on the river and lake banks. The idea is to tap 'Neera' described as a health drink with properties to prevent numerous ailments. Lakhs of palm trees and more than 3,000 toddy tappers are the economic assets of project being conceived by CERA and its founder president Kulai Swamy.

Presently 500 tappers had been identified to make them stakeholders in the socio-economic project which has the potential to trigger an economic revolution in the backward communities in the district. The project emerged as a viable project with most of the trees located on government lands and riverbanks etc. The excise and prohibition department is supporting the project and CERA, appreciating the noble objective behind it and in the process, subjected 500 of the tappers to test and also extended training to Ediga and Gouds community men. The department has given identity cards to 430 men, who passed the test. Kulai Swamy told The Hans India that the fresh Neera wine is non-alcoholic in nature and has the properties to prevent ailments of critical nature in human body. Research conducted on Neera drink had proved that constipation, gastric problem, eye cataract, migraine headache, melts kidney stones, liver and indigestion problems can be prevented. If women consume Neera wine for a month, white discharge problem would disappear. Besides Neera acts as an immunity booster.

Already a Nèera society had been formed with 500 men. The same will also be functioning as an FPO which deals with marketing aspects as well.

While Neera is the product of palm trees, its byproducts include jam and jaggery.

The toddy tappers and palm trees juggernaut will not only arrest migration to towns and prevent toddy tappers from diversifying to multiple vocations, it will also help them to conserve their traditional trades and trigger an economic revolution in rural areas and strengthen rural economy. About 3,000 tappers families will eventually be roped into the Neera bandwagon.

CERA is making an in-depth study of the project to usher in a socio-cultural-economic empowerment movement.

Scientifically, the hundreds of palm trees that are located on the hill slopes and on the riverbanks serve as check dams preventing soil erosion and flooding of water into populated areas. These trees act as retaining walls for water percolation and increase of ground water table. These are treated as environmental assets.