Gadchiroli snakebite tragedy exposes systemic neglect in tribal belt: Shiv Sena(UBT) in ‘Saamana’
Mumbai: On the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, a severe tragedy unfolded at an aided residential tribal school (Ashram School) in Japatlai, in the Dhanora taluka of Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district, where six schoolgirls were bitten by venomous snakes; three died at the scene, and two were left in critical condition, the Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) said on Wednesday in the party’s mouthpiece ‘Saamana’.
An editorial in Saamana cited the tragedy as proof of the dangerous conditions tribal children face daily. The party asserted that while Naxalite activity in the area has declined, the threat to indigenous lives remains constant.
The editorial accused the state administration of systematically displacing indigenous populations — the rightful custodians of the region’s land, water, and forests — to accommodate corporate entities and outside mining entrepreneurs who fund political parties. It alleged that local tribals are routinely endangered by heavy mining traffic, with over 1,500 residents reportedly killed by speeding mining trucks, followed by rapid cleanups of accident sites by authorities.
Countering claims surrounding plans to transform Gadchiroli into an eco-friendly “Steel Hub”, the editorial contended that industrial operations have severely contaminated the environment. Industrial residue allegedly settles onto cooked food inside tribal homes, leaving families with polluted water and contaminated meals. Furthermore, local residents who protest these conditions are reportedly labelled as Naxalites or traitors and imprisoned.
Extensive mining operations have disrupted native animal habitats, driving wildlife such as leopards and snakes into residential hamlets and school grounds. This hazard is compounded by crumbling infrastructure at tribal Ashram Schools, where severe structural cracks, poor sanitation, a lack of medical provisions, and a shortage of basic furniture force children to sleep on bare floors, claimed the editorial.
The editorial highlighted a severe lack of medical infrastructure across Gadchiroli. Due to the absence of functional emergency transport and government ambulances, critically ill patients and pregnant women are routinely carried over long distances on makeshift cloth stretchers, while grieving parents are left with no choice but to carry the bodies of deceased children on their shoulders.
The Thackeray camp sharply condemned the state government as incompetent, suggesting that tribal residents bring snakes and scorpions from their hamlets to the official residences of government ministers in Mumbai so officials understand the constant danger faced by the community.
Ultimately, the editorial argued that the dismantling of Naxalism in the region was executed not to improve the living standards of the indigenous population, but to guarantee the security and profitability of commercial industrial ventures.