Bombay HC slams Maharashtra govt for no connectivity in 4 Gadchiroli villages – India Today

The Bombay High Court on Friday came down heavily on the Maharashtra government and asked it to construct a temporary bridge to connect the villages in the Gadchiroli district which are cut off from the outer world in the monsoon season due to the backwaters of the Dina River Project.

Bombay court heard a suo motu petition concerning the plight of villages like Venganur, Padkotola, Adangepally and Surgaon. (File photo)

By Vidya : The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court on Friday came down heavily on the Maharashtra government and asked it to construct a temporary bridge to connect the villages in the Gadchiroli district, which are cut off from the rest of the world for about six months in a year in the monsoon season due to the backwaters of the Dina River Project.

The court said, “In spite of the court highlighting the emergency of the situation in which the unfortunate tribal brethren has got themselves caught, the authorities in-charge of their welfare have done nothing except paying lip service and sending a few communications here and there.”

The court was hearing a suo motu petition concerning the plight of villages like Venganur, Padkotola, Adangepally and Surgaon in Gadchiroli district, which are completely cut off from the rest of the world for about six months in a year in the monsoon season due to the backwaters of the Dina River Project.

The authorities were of the opinion that due to the submergence of huge/large areas surrounding the concerned villages, it was not possible for them to make any efforts for the construction of even a temporary bridge, but, the authorities have provided seven speed boats as a facility for commuting between the isolated villages and the mainland of the district.

The bench of Justices SB Shukre and GA Sanap said that providing the facility of a speed boat was not enough. The bench saw that the government had planned to make eight bridges around the villages for connectivity but have not been constructed. Besides, the affidavit filed by the government authorities was silent on providing 24X7 electricity, medical and educational facilities.

The government pleader said that a Sub Health Care Centre had been sanctioned for Vengnur village on Aug 27, 2022, and water and electricity supply was made available.

However, the bench said, “These facilities may be enough for the time being, but in order to lead a complete life, these acidifies, in the long run would not be enough as these villages remain cut off from the main land for half of the year and therefore it is necessary for the state government and the authorities in-charge at the ground level to take urgent steps in the manner.”

The bench further added that “in spite of repeated requests made by this court, the authorities appear to have not looked into the matter so far.” The court directed that before November 16, the government should look into the proposal for constructing the bridges.

The amicus curiae, Renuka Sirpurkar, told the court that the construction of 8 bridges is a long-term plan but to bring immediate relief to the villagers in these areas, it was important that a temporary bridge be immediately constructed. The court directed the authorities to look into this at the earliest.