Bamboo Project Launched for Kolam Tribe in Adilabad under Green India Challenge

A pilot bamboo plantation project has been launched in Mullagutta 2 village, Adilabad district (Telangana), to support the Kolam tribal community. The initiative, part of the Green India Challenge, aims to restore livelihoods and combat environmental degradation. It addresses the bamboo shortage faced by the Kolam tribes, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG).

Green India Challenge

The Green India Challenge (GIC) is a nationwide environmental movement aimed at promoting afforestation and sustainable practices across India. It engages citizens and organisations in tree planting and environmental conservation efforts to combat climate change and enhance biodiversity.

Kolam Tribe

The Kolam are a tribal group primarily found in Maharashtra, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh. They are classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) and have a patrilineal society, with their traditional occupations being agriculture and forest work. The Kolam people speak the Dravidian language of Kolami and are culturally similar to the Gond tribe.

Key characteristics

• Language: Speak their own Dravidian language, Kolami, which does not have its own script. Many adults are also fluent in Marathi or Telugu.
• Society: Organized into various clans (such as Chal Deve, Pach Deve, Saha Deve, and Sat Deve), and their society is patrilineal, meaning descent is traced through males.
• Occupation: Traditional livelihoods include agriculture (both settled and shifting cultivation), animal farming, fishing, and forest labor.
• Culture: Share cultural similarities with the Gond tribe in terms of rituals and ceremonies. They consider themselves descendants of Bhima and Hidimbi from the epic Mahabharata.
• Traditions: Practice customs like the levirate, where a widow marries her deceased husband’s brother.
• Government support: Have received government support through initiatives focused on improving health, education, and infrastructure, as noted in documents from

Bamboo Plantation Project

The bamboo plantation project in Mullagutta 2 village covers five acres of land donated by local philanthropist Tekam Rao Ji Patel. The initiative aims to create a sustainable bamboo supply for the Kolam tribes, facilitating the revival of traditional crafts and enhancing the community’s economic resilience.