law and policy
High Court, Madia
Location: Vengnur, Gadchiroli
Issue: The Madia community, recognized as one of the 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups in India, primarily resides in the Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra. Villages inhabited by the Madia tribes in Gadchiroli near the Dina water reservoir face complete isolation for six months each year due to the lack of bridges and roads. This isolation poses significant challenges in accessing essential services, particularly healthcare. During emergencies, villagers are forced to undertake risky journeys across the vast backwater in rowboats.
Intervention: The community leaders were identified, and consultations were conducted to understand the challenges faced by the Madia community and their efforts to address them. With the assistance of these leaders, the community was informed about the accessible and affordable mechanism of a Letter Petition. Subsequently, a letter was drafted after collecting affidavits and obtaining consent from villagers. This letter was then sent to the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court on behalf of the villagers. The Court admitted it as a Suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL), recognizing the issue as a serious violation of tribal rights. We facilitated visits of Amicus Curiae and a team of lawyers from the Nagpur Bench to the villages and, assisted in drafting replies and rejoinders to be submitted before the court. This collaborative effort, uniting community leaders, legal experts, and concerned citizens, resulted in significant progress. The State allocated a substantial budget of 38 Crore Rupees for the construction of roads and bridges, along with improvements in healthcare infrastructure. The process of building roads and bridges is underway, and the construction of a Sub-Centre (Healthcare Unit) is nearing completion.
Beneficiaries
Advocacy for the issue of road connectivity
Location: Bamarda, Yavatmal
Issue: In the village of Bamarda, located in the Yawatmal District of Maharashtra, the absence of proper mobility infrastructure, particularly a bridge over the Nala (water stream), severely impedes access to essential services, particularly during the monsoon season. This deficiency significantly impacts education, healthcare, and commerce for the local residents.
Intervention: After consulting with the villagers of Bamarda and gaining a comprehensive understanding of their challenges, proactive youths within the village collaborated to collect affidavits documenting their grievances. Concurrently, a formal complaint was lodged with the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission, stressing the urgent need for the repair or reconstruction of the bridge and the widening of the stream bed. Following this, the SHRC summoned the District Collector, and subsequent initiatives were undertaken. Through these concerted efforts, successful advocacy resulted in the construction of a new bridge, addressing a critical infrastructural need and substantially improving access to essential services for the community members of Bamarda village.
Beneficiaries
Advocacy for the issues of pregnant women in Abhujmad region
Location: Abhujmad, Bastar in Chhattisgarh
Issue: The Abhujmad region, spanning across Bastar in Chhattisgarh and Gadchiroli in Maharashtra, is a densely forested area predominantly inhabited by tribal communities. This remote and isolated region suffers from a stark absence of civil administration and lacks even the most basic facilities, including healthcare and road infrastructure. Villagers residing in these areas face immense challenges in accessing essential services, such as hospitals, with journeys often requiring them to traverse over 20 kilometers through treacherous terrain, including rivers and mountains, on foot. One particularly distressing incident occurred in the village of Turemarka, located in the Bhamragad tehsil, where a pregnant woman was compelled to walk 23-kilometer journey to deliver her baby, who undertake the trek back to her village with her three-day-old infant.
Intervention: Recognizing the dire circumstances faced by pregnant women in the Abhujmad region, a team member ventured into the village to conduct a comprehensive study of the challenges confronting the Madia community residing there. Concurrently, the issue was brought to the attention of the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (SHRC), prompting swift action. In response to the commission’s directive, the Divisional Commissioner was tasked with assembling an expert panel to investigate and address the pressing healthcare and connectivity issues plaguing the region. As a result of these concerted efforts, the District Collector took proactive measures to establish a Maternity Home in the Bhamragad region, aimed at providing vital maternal healthcare services to pregnant women in the area.
Seeking justice: Advocating against farmer exploitation
Location: Dhule
Issue: In Dhule, farmers faced the distressing reality of having their land acquired by the government for a solar project. Among them was Dharma Patil. Despite the acquisition of his land, Patil did not receive adequate compensation for the loss he incurred. His repeated attempts to address this injustice with ministers and authorities fell on deaf ears, leaving him feeling marginalized and disregarded. Tragically, this sense of despair culminated in Patil’s heartbreaking decision to take his own life at Mantralaya in Mumbai.
Intervention: Following the tragic death of Dharma Patil the case was brought to the attention of the State Human Rights Commission, shedding light on the systemic issues. In response, an inquiry committee, led by a retired judge, was appointed to investigate the circumstances surrounding Patil’s death and the broader issues affecting farmers’ rights in Dhule. The inquiry committee’s findings revealed the extent of the injustice faced by Dharma Patil and other affected farmers. It underscored the urgent need for reform and accountability in land acquisition practices to ensure that farmers receive fair compensation for their land. In its final order, the State Human Rights Commission issued a strong recommendation for proper compensation to be provided to Dharma Patil’s family, acknowledging the profound impact of the systemic failure on their lives and livelihoods.
Advocating for contractual health workers' rights during COVID-19: Securing unpaid wages
Location: Vengnur, Gadchiroli
Issue: Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 450 contractual health workers from marginalized communities, including Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and other marginalized groups, faced severe financial distress due to unpaid wages for seven months. These workers were employed at the Government Medical College and Hospital in Chandrapur, Maharashtra. The prolonged non-payment of wages significantly impacted their livelihoods and exacerbated their already vulnerable socio-economic situations.
Intervention: Upon learning about the plight of the contractual health workers, our team took immediate action to support their agitation. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, we initiated legal proceedings by filing a case on behalf of the workers before the labour court and the State Human Rights Commission. Our proactive measures aimed to ensure that the contractual health workers received their rightful dues and that their voices were heard. As a result of our concerted efforts, the contractual health workers successfully received their overdue wages for the seven months of unpaid work.