Maharashtra News: Palghar Villagers And Students Risk Lives Crossing Rivers On Tyre Tubes, Renew Urgent Demand For Bridges
Palghar, Maharashtra: Despite significant government expenditure on tribal development, several tribal communities in Palghar district are still forced to undertake perilous journeys across swollen rivers using makeshift rafts, primarily tyre tubes, to access their farms and schools.
This alarming situation highlights a long-standing demand for bridges that remains unfulfilled, leading villagers to question the administration's inaction.
Students Risk Lives for Education Across Pinjal River
A harrowing situation is unfolding in Mhase village, Vikramgad taluka, where young tribal students are risking their lives daily to attend school. To reach the school in Waki village, these children must cross the turbulent Pinjal River on tyre tubes, carrying their school bags on their heads while braving the pouring rain.
Parents bring the tyre tubes to the riverbank, help their children onto them, and then assist them in crossing the river to reach school. The same dangerous routine is repeated in the evening for their return journey. This daily struggle, which often involves getting their clothes and books wet, has become a grim reality for these children. They carry extra sets of clothes to change into after crossing the river.
"This struggle has become a part of our lives," one parent lamented, highlighting the children's determination to pursue education despite the immense challenges. They carry dreams in their eyes, hoping to achieve something bigger in life.
Villagers have repeatedly appealed for a proper bridge to be built, ensuring a safe passage for their children to school. However, their demands have seemingly fallen on deaf ears. "Thousands of crores are spent annually in the name of tribal development, yet basic facilities like health, education, and water remain a struggle for us," a villager stated.
The sight of these children precariously balanced on a single tyre tube, navigating the raging Pinjal River, raises critical questions about the true impact of development initiatives in these remote areas.
Locals are demanding to know if the administration will only awaken after a tragedy strikes. They continue to ask the government: "When will our children finally get a bridge to go to school?"
Farmers Brave Wagh River for Livelihood
In Jawhar taluka, particularly in the Ghivanda Gram Panchayat area, several tribal families face a life-threatening commute to reach their farms and homes located across the Wagh River. Farmers are compelled to cross the river perched on inflated tyre tubes, risking their lives daily.
Villages such as Khoripada, Bondarpada, Shivachapada, Borichapada, and Hateri, comprising a total of 52 tribal families, have their agricultural lands situated on the other side of the Wagh River, bordering Mokhada taluka. With no bridge connecting the two regions, these families are forced to undertake life-threatening river crossings, especially during the monsoon season.
Farmers often have to use wooden logs to maintain balance while crossing when water levels rise. The Wagh River swells significantly during the rainy season, making the already hazardous journey even more perilous.
For years, villagers have demanded the construction of a bridge near Ghivanda to connect Jawhar and Mokhada, but their pleas have gone unheard. "Is the government waiting for a major tragedy to occur?" a local tribal family member questioned, expressing their deep frustration.
The demand is not just about convenience, it’s about survival. Locals fear that without a proper bridge, a serious accident is only a matter of time.
As the region braces for another monsoon, the residents once again face the terrifying reality of crossing rivers without safety. Their longstanding plea remains simple and urgent: build a bridge before it’s too late.
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