80 km away from Mumbai, Talyanchi Vadi set to get water and road soon

Talyanchi Vadi is surrounded by water on three sides and a forest on one side. File pic

Come 2021 and the tribal hamlet of Talyanchi Vadi in Murbad will get a permanent road and a pipeline with potable water from the village well, decisions on which have been taken by the district administration. mid-day had highlighted the plight of tribals living in Talyanchi Vadi in its series of articles titled 'Murbad Tribal Hamlet Cut Off, Left Without Food' on July 30, and on December 18 titled '80 Km from Mumbai an area of darkness'. The latter highlighted the plight of a woman delivering in the jungle due to non-availability of transport or road.

Tribals fear that the rise in water level in monsoon could submerge their village

Interestingly, Thane District Collector Rajesh Narvekar, in his affidavit dated November 26 (copy with this paper) in Bombay High Court had cited fund issues for repairing and cleaning the village's lone well, claiming that due to the pandemic there was no sufficient grant for the District Annual Plan.

After numerous letters to MIDC regarding rehabilitation when no action was taken, a joint writ petition had been filed by two villagers - from Kolewadhakal and Talyanche Vadi - regarding rehabilitation in June 2020 in the Bombay High Court. The matter was converted into a PIL. On August 5, taking serious cognisance of the plight of tribals, the Bombay High Court had set aside the response from MIDC (it had refuted the claims of the petitioners) and the Tehsildar in the PIL hearing and sought a detailed affidavit in the matter from Thane District Collector.

Collector Narvekar confirmed the district administration's decisions stating, "Talyanchi Vadi had two main issues - a) potable drinking water and b) road connectivity, and just last week the state government lifted its restrictions and funds are now being made available from the District Annual Plan."

Asked about the affidavit filed in Bombay HC citing financial issues, the collector said, "The state government had issued directives on making use of fifty percent of 1/3rd of funds released to fight the pandemic, and accordingly the affidavit was filed before the court. The new directives of the state government have just come last week and we will inform the court accordingly."

Asked to elaborate the plan, he said, "As far as potable water issue is concerned, we have already got the village well examined and its water tested by a senior geologist from the Ground Water Survey and Development, Thane and the water quality has been found to be good for human consumption. We have decided to provide a pipeline from the well to Talyanchi Vadi."

"As for the second issue, roads, we have found out that some part of the connecting land comes under the forest department and some areas are owned by private landowners. We have written to the forest department and also have approached the private landowners, and are in the process of acquiring the same for road construction. The work on both projects should begin within the next month or two, as district funds will be used for them," explained the collector.

When asked if Talyanchi Vadi residents were was Project Affected Parties of Barvi Dam, he said, "MIDC has no record to establish the same, but that issue is between MIDC and Talyanchi Vadi, the Collector is not a party to it."

Asked if the roads will have street lights, he said the roads won't be lit at present, but maybe in future. In his affidavit to the court, the collector had stated that the well has sufficient water levels and fixing a solar pump and solar panel to the well would have an estimated cost of R23. 34 lakhs. Road construction would cost around R68.16 lakh. Narvekar had also said that his office wrote to MIDC on November 6 and requested it to arrange for funds so that the Zilla Parishad can carry out the work.

Indavi Tulpule, member of Shramik Mukti Sanghatana, who is helping the tribals of Talyanchi Vadi to get their rights, said, "It is unfortunate that even after the Bombay High court made a serious observation and directed MIDC to provide water and transport facility to Talyanche Vadi, other than a water tanker (which is insufficient) nothing has happened till date."

Tulpule further said, "The beneficiaries of Barvi Dam water (MIDC industrial belt and municipal corporations) should be ashamed to drink the water. They should come forward in support of these tribes residing at Talyanchi Vadi for decades. They are deprived of basic living conditions. The residents and workers in these belts should ask the authorities about such inhuman living conditions for tribals of Talyanchi Vadi and stop such happening."

Amol Kadam, Tehsildar, Murbad, said "MIDC on an average, daily provides potable water tanker (4,000 litres) to Talyanchi Vadi and a proposal is already pending before the Zilla Parishad to construct the proposed road connecting the hamlet to the main road"

When informed that the tribal were stating that the quantity of water was not sufficient, Kadam said, "I have not got any complaint from them." Padmakar Zugare, a tribal from Talyanchi Vadi said, "We get a small tanker of water, but it is not sufficient for the entire village. Hence, we have divided the houses into two parts, and each gets water on alternate days. We have also requested a water tank in the village, so that tanker water can directly be emptied into the tank, and each household can take it as and when required. But our request has fallen on the deaf ears of MIDC officials. The tanker water gets wasted at times, as households do not have sufficient utensils to store it, hence the tank idea was suggested."

Deputy Engineer (Zilla Parishad, PWD, Murbad Division) Sandeep Chavan, said, "We have already submitted our proposal for construction of a bituminous road (3-meter-wide village road) of approximate over 2 kilometres in length, and the cost estimation is over R68 lakh. The proposal has been sent to the District Planning Committee, at the Collectorate in Thane, which will decide on the same."

"Once the approval is received, the tender processing will happen and from the date of getting the work order, within six months we will be able to complete the road work. At present due to the pandemic all projects are on halt," said Chavan.

Jaywant Borse, former executive engineer, Barvi Dam, MIDC said, "I am not holding the post anymore. I was transferred to Nashik, it won't be right on my part to make any comment. I vacated my post four months ago and I am not aware of the latest, happening." Sachin Rakshe, Executive Engineer, Barvi Dam, MIDC said, "The matter is matter in the court and I won't be able to make any comment on this case."

"As per MIDC records, amongst the petitioners, only Kolewadhakal village is Project Affected Parties (PAP) and we have no record of Talyanchi Vadi as (PAP), and therefore cannot comment about their rehabilitation or resolve any issue that its people face. I won't be able to make any further comments," said an MIDC source.

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