Rights of children to free compulsory education under RTE

Due to malnutrition, the death toll in Melghat increased, barely 3 visits made by MP in last 5 years

Irfan Shaikh
India emerging as super power in the world. Meanwhile, Indian politicians hinted that we are heading to be powerful nation in forthcoming years but somewhere we have marginalized the downtrodden, tribal folk and those dwells are inattentive from mainstream of the center and state government.

Melghat of Amravati district is one of those areas of Maharashtra where epidemic like malnutrition and stillbirth have engulfed the whole region.  If we look at the people of Melghat’s tribal community, the scenario will seem to be dreaming. 

Melghat region of 350 villages have been suffering from Malnutrition. In the last 25 years 14519 child deaths took place by malnutrition and 3943 stillbirths were noticed from 1997 to 2018. From another sources it has been informed that in sheer Maharashtra, more than 2 lakh deaths occured from several disease in which malnutrition was one of prime cause of death.

In state, the mortality rate of children mounted 105%. To prevent death from malnutrition, the state government has organized multiple campaigns and implemented lot of schemes in that affected area but failed to take Melghat out of dreaded epidemic like malnutrition.

Worst condition of Melghat School, 2 teachers behind 200 students

As we know, an education is one of the most important requirements of every society. If we take glimpse of certain villages of Melghat such as Bairagah, Matunga Rangubeli, it seems that the government playing with students’ future. In Bairagah village has only 2 Marathi and 2 Urdu schools in which 200 students taking education by 4 teachers right now.

2 teachers have responsibilities to take care of all the classes. Similarly, Matunga, Rangbela and the whole region suffer from this kind of situation. Now, the question raises here that if the government running the scheme like “Sarv Shikshan Abhiyan” which virtually doesn’t prop tribal community so is there any benefit of this scheme?”

 SAUBHAGYA scheme, just a motor-mouth

The center’s “SAUBHAGYA” Scheme-Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana seems to be ended after reaching that of villages of Melghat.  It has been 72 years of independence but the inhabitants of Rangbeli village of Melghat still living without electricity. A village of 400 peoples’ prime source of earning is agriculture or working on daily wages. Many of farmers rely on natural resources, there is no facility of well and some have but cannot afford seeds to sow.

Farmers’ issues in the region

A farmer Manmohan lal from that Matunga village with his wife cultivates his 3 Acer of land. Cultivation of Pigeon pea brings better rate in market therefore Manmohan decided to cultivate Pigeon peas but due to tremendous shivering chill, Manmohan could not get better rates from that crops also and that is why Manmohan had to deal with heavy loss. Once he determined to cultivate wheat in the farmland because of not having well facility and lack of water resources, Manmohan again had to face distress.

Manmohan’s Annual income is around Rs.30000 and had required the fund to build a well, under several government schemes Manmohan submitted the forms but received disappointment from the department.  The same circumstance is in all the farmlands around that region. In the state for last many years, suicide ratio of farmers increased but good thing is that thing was noticed in Melghat.

Labors and agriculture circumstances in Melghat

Government had made big and hollow promises and gave many assurance to the people of the country before came to the power what appeared just a “Jumle Bazi”.  Locals accuse while informing that not a single company was brought to the whole region by the government so far.

Locals further expressed, “the core profession of people here is agriculture and those do not have farm land to cultivate, they have to remain jobless. Even youths unable get employments benefit properly under MANREGA scheme.”

​​Elected Representatives ignore the area

3 times in 5 years visited this area

“Shiv Sena MP Anandrao Vithoba Adsul and MLA from Melghat area Prabhudas Bhilavekar was elected to resolve their problems in Melghat do not visit considerably. Only 3 times in 5 years visited this area, blames locales.”

Inputs by Special Correspondent Amit Wandre