Adivasi Chief Wanaspathi Uruwarige Wannilaeththo said the adivasi community is facing a high risk of contracting non-communicable diseases such as diabetes since they have had to use sugar in their food instead of honey.
He said they have been deprived of collecting honey as they have been restricted to enter forests.
"We are not allowed to enter the jungle even to collect honey," the adivasi chief said. "So, we too have to add sugar to our diet and become diabetes patients. This is a very sad state of affairs," he said. The adivasi chief said indigenous people were the custodians of the jungle for generations. He added that however, the jungle is no longer theirs and they did not feel responsible for its maintenance.
He said the adivasi people do not kill all animals as most people think.
"We were taught by our ancestors to select the most suitable prey," the adivasi chief said. “For example, we do not kill an animal drinking water or pregnant animals such as deer, sambur etc. We do not kill a four-legged animal giving milk to her young ones," he added.
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