Nagpur: The Nagpur bench of Bombay high court has directed Gadchiroli collector to personally visit five remote Madia-Gond tribal villages during the ongoing monsoon and decide a representation alleging absence of roads, bridges, healthcare and educational facilities that leave the villages cut off from essential public services for several months each year.A division bench of Justices Anil Kilor and Raj Wakode passed the order last week while disposing of a plea filed by residents of Gopnar, Dhirangi, Moradpar, Lashkar and Aladandi (Halodandi) villages in Bhamragad taluka. The petitioners, who are from Madia Gond Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) belonging to Scheduled Tribe community, are represented by counsel Bodhi Ramteke.According to the petition, the villages remain disconnected from the rest of district for more than five months every year during monsoon because of absence of all-weather roads and bridges across Pamulgautam River and adjoining streams. TOI in the past had published a series of reports on how development failed to reach these remote villages due to swollen rivers and how they still live in the pre-Independence era.The petition alleges that the isolation restricts access to hospitals, schools, govt offices and markets, with patients, pregnant women and elderly residents often being carried across flooded water bodies. It also alleges that several deaths have occurred due to lack of timely medical care.The petition further contends that despite policy provisions for relaxed population norms for healthcare facilities and mobile medical units in Madia tribal areas, the affected villages have not received such services. It also alleges that closure of zilla parishad schools disrupts children’s education and that transport facilities envisaged under govt policy have not been effectively implemented.The petition sought directions for all-weather roads and bridges, accessible primary healthcare facilities, measures to address the closure of Zilla Parishad schools, emergency medical transport and boat services during the monsoon, and a comprehensive development plan for the villages.The Bench noted that the respondent authorities had not yet examined the grievances and directed the collector to treat the writ petition as a representation. The court asked the petitioners to submit a copy of the petition and the order to the collector within one week. It directed the collector to decide the representation within eight weeks, communicate the decision to the petitioners within two weeks thereafter and, if remedial action is found necessary, initiate appropriate steps immediately. The registry has been directed to list the matter after ten weeks for reporting compliance.“This petition is not merely about construction of roads and bridges. It is a constitutional struggle to secure for some of India’s most remote tribal citizens the rights to life, human dignity and equality guaranteed by the Constitution,” Ramteke contended.Ramteke said many alleged violations of the fundamental rights of tribal communities never reach the justice delivery system because of systemic barriers and urged citizens and gram sabhas facing similar issues to seek constitutional remedies.
