Gudalur: The first petrol pump in Tamil Nadu run by tribal women has been set up at M. Palada village near Ooty in the Nilgiris district. The pump started under the auspices of the Tribal Research Center.
12 women are working here, two each from Gudalur, Ooty, and Kotagiri, the tribal tribes of the district belonging to the Kattunaykar, Paniyar, Kurumbar, Todar, Kothar, and Irular communities. The Adivasi Research Center also provides accommodation for those coming from far and wide.
Tribals constitute 3.7 percent of the 7.5 lakh population of the district. The petrol pump, which is run exclusively by tribal women, was started to uplift the Adivasis, especially the Adivasi women, who are backward in every sense. Fuel is slightly lower than the price in town.
