Tribals a diverse group. gonds bheel who are in lakhs. While many have a shrinking low population. They are placed in categories of particularly vulnerable tribal groups - 75 at present.
Causes of depopulation. Denied forest rights. Displacement by projects. Malnutrition. Poverty. Outsider influx.
Historic colonial exploitation and conflict. Battle of Aberdeen killed 5000 great andamanese males. Today they are in hundreds.
Venereal diseases. Typhoid malaria smallpox in koraga. M Naliman 2013.
With outsider influx Jarwas and Onge habitat restricted on the way to extinction.
Loss of food nutrition livelihood. Mankadia forced out from forest habitat for national parks. Baigas can't access first produce.
Poor health care access. Prakasam district chenchus.
dams mining industry displaced tribals and livelihood. Causing poverty and depopulation. 75% not rehabilitation. Fernandes 2002.
Losing culture after displacement. No longer a tribal, just a person.
M nalinam 2013. The population of koraga Tribes of South India
poverty illiteracy and exploitation by outsiders has created land alienation. They cannot afford treatment or access to healthcare or good sanitation. Typhoid malaria smallpox are killing them and they're de populating fast.
Remedies.
Induct local healers in healthcare.
Improve forestquality and quantity
Biofortified food and proper MANREGA implementation.