Action comes based on a complaint filed by a local activist; MSHRC has sought a fact finding report by first week of March; the action comes based on a complaint filed by a local activist claiming that in less than three months, two tribal women from Kausawadi in Pen Taluka lost their lives
Kausawadi tribals mourn the demise of a woman who died on November 7. Pics/Sayyed Sameer Abedi
The Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC), taking cognisance of the complaint filed over the over the non existence of roads in tribal areas in Raigad, has issued notice to the district collector and also sought a ‘fact finding report’ in the first week of March.
The action comes based on a complaint filed by a local activist claiming that in less than three months, two tribal women from Kausawadi in Pen Taluka lost their lives as they could not be transported to the nearest sub-district hospital in time due to non existene of roads.
During emergencies, tribals are forced to carry patients or pregnant women in makeshift cloth cradles over a 4–5 km stretch to reach the nearest road, the complaint mentioned. mid-day had earlier published an article dated November 16, 2024. A copy of the article is part of the complaint.
Activist speak
Santosh Thakur, founder-president of Gram Samvardhan Samajik Sanstha, confirmed the SHRC notice sent to the collector and the copy received by him. “I had given a written complaint on November 22, 2024, highlighting the plight of tribals living in Kausawadi and even mentioned the demise of two women in a span of three months,” Thakur said.
Tribals are forced to use roads that are unmotorable in emergencies
He added, “The irony is that even after three months have passed, nothing is happening at the ground level; the situation remains unchanged; tribals are deprived of their road even after a work order was issued in January 2024 and a mud road contract of Rs 60 lakh was issued to an influential contractor, but authorities failed to hold him accountable under the defect liability clause.”
Advocate speak
Advocate Siddharth Ingle, who is fighting a pro bono case for Thakur, said, “The SHRC prima facie has found material in our plea and therefore has now issued notice to the Raigad collector, seeking a fact-finding report, within a month. Our complaint shows the plight of trials living in these hamlets and it clearly violates the fundamental rights of the tribals, and sheer dereliction of duty of the government and its officers. The upliftment of tribals and their welfare remain on paper, even today, which is unfortunate.”
Tribal death
Ambi Raghya Kadu, 43, a resident of Kausawadi, passed away on November 7 due to a lack of timely medical care. After her husband Raghya’s death, she lived with her 18-year-old son, Navsaya, while her daughter Anita, 29, lived separately. On November 3, Navsaya and neighbours carried her down the hill to a private doctor, who administered saline and prescribed medication. However, as her condition worsened on November 6, Navsaya, with help from the community, carried his mother in a cloth cradle to reach the motorable road, which took over 1.5 hours. She was admitted to a hospital in Pen and later referred to Alibaug Civil Hospital, where she died in the ICU.
Other side
Dr Baharat Bastewad, CEO, Raigad Zilla Parishad, said, “I am not aware of the SHRC notice sent to the district collector.” When asked about the status of the road connectivity in Kausawadi, he said, “The said area (Kausawadi) does not come under my purview; it comes under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), a separate department in Raigad, which constructs roads in tribal hamlets under PMGSY.”
“In a recent meeting with the executive engineer of PMGSY, specifically for the Kausawadi tribal hamlet incident, it was informed that some parts of the land parcels are owned by private landowners. The PMGSY department has already made a submission to them, seeking their NOC for road construction,” said Bastewad.
Speaking on the issue, Sarika Desai, executive engineer, PMGSY, Raigad, said, “I had personally surveyed the Kausawadi proposed road area and found that there were some issues with the alignment approved and the actual excavation work carried out at the site in some parts. As there are changes in the variation and scope of work, I have sent the revised proposal to the superiors for approval.”
When asked if the proposed road stretch also has land parcels belonging to private landowners, Desaid replied in the affirmative, stating, “We are in touch with private landowners for getting their NOC.”
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