Occupation and Social Status
They used to practice shifting cultivation, but have more or less given up this practice now. They grow Ragi (Finger millet, Eleusine coracana) for subsistence. Their main source of income is harvesting and sale of Non-timber Forest Produce (NTFP) like honey, nellikai (gooseberry, Emblica officinalis), bamboo, Paasi (Lichen). They also make baskets using bamboo. They are increasingly being brought to the 'main-stream' with active Government and NGO initiative. Many have been given lands closer to 'civilised areas' and most of the forest-dwelling population have been brought together into clusters called Podus. Most of the forest area they stay comes under wild life protection area. The Biligirirangan Hills are Wildlife Sanctuary under Wildlife Protection Act, 1973, the Malai Mahadeswara Hills is a Reserve Forest, and Bandipur is a National Park. Their rights on harvesting NTFP is being sought to be withdrawn citing conservation concerns, sparking a debate about the rights of indigenous people.
Read more about this topic: Soliga Tribe
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