KOLAM DEATHS-HC wants action taken report-TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Publication:Times Of India Nagpur; Date:Apr 24, 2007; Section:Times Nagpur; Page Number:2



KOLAM DEATHS
HC wants action taken report
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=TkdUT0kvMjAwNy8wNC8yNCNBcjAwMjA4&Mode=HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom

Nagpur: Coming down heavily on the state government, the Nagpur bench of Bombay high court on Monday while hearing a petition on malnutrition deaths of Kolam tribals, directed the government to explain as to what steps are being taken to solve drinking water woes in tribal-dominated villages of Kelapur, Ghatanji, Maregaon, Ralegaon, Kalam, and Arni in Yavatmal district.

The division bench also directed the government counsel to take the issue seriously to come up with a reply to its queries by Wednesday. "The tribals are self-dependent and they survive on minimum resources. Still, the

government authorities, taking them for granted, are reluctant to give them the basic requirements," the court observed.

Earlier, the court asked petitioner Kishore Tiwari of Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti to add officials concerned of the Central government as respondent and ordered the government to direct Amravati divisional commissioner to submit details of action taken by April 25.

Petitioner's counsel A Somani pointed out several shortcomings in the implementation of various schemes for the tribals. He filed a list of voters in villages of Pandharwani, Dabhadi and Dubhatipot, in Zari Jamani tehsil on the Andhra Pradesh border. The court then directed the petitioner to file separate affidavit informing number of families under BPL.