Maharashtra: Govt apathy makes them ripe for exploitation

Tribals still live in poor conditions

Numerous government- funded schemes aimed at safeguarding tribals' rights and well-being reveal a disheartening truth upon extensive reporting by this correspondent in Maharashtra's tribal districts. Many of these initiatives suffer from inadequate implementation or outright failure to reach their intended beneficiaries.

Furthermore, systemic corruption within the administration deprives those in need, forcing starving tribal populations to migrate from their forested homes in search of urban employment, where they often fall into exploitative traps. Foremost among these concerns is the exploitation of impoverished tribals by landlords, luring them into long-term slavery with meagre advances - an issue demanding urgent attention. Activists hold the state government and bureaucrats responsible for their failure to curb this migration and address the root causes.

Rajendra Gavit, parliamentarian

Vivek Pandit, chairperson of the Tribal Development Review Committee in Maharashtra said, "The government holds responsibility for the conditions that force tribals into bonded labour." Pandit criticises the government's failure to develop skills among the tribal population, essential for empowering them to pursue alternative livelihoods and escape the cycle of exploitation. He said, "These systemic failures need to be addressed for the well-being and rights of tribal communities."

The underdevelopment in regions predominantly inhabited by tribal communities fosters a range of socio-economic challenges, encompassing poverty, illiteracy, and health issues. Such marginalised areas often grapple with insufficient infrastructure, limited educational resources, and inadequate healthcare facilities, exacerbating the socio-economic disparity experienced by tribal populations.

Vivek Pandit, chairperson of the Tribal Development Review Committee in Maharashtra

Parliamentarian Rajendra Gavit told mid-day, "Despite changes in governments within the state, none have shown a willingness to address the upliftment of tribals. Government secretaries must promptly identify these developmental gaps to elevate these communities and enhance their overall quality of life."

mid-day's coverage on bonded labour

mid-day's coverage of bonded labour has shed light on the grim realities faced by economically disadvantaged tribal communities in the state. The reported incidents range from suicides among bonded labourers to kidnappings, enslavement of females, sexual abuses, inappropriate touching of minors, and even public floggings, showcasing the extensive and distressing range of atrocities these communities endure in both farming and non-farming sectors.

In August 2021 in Mokhada taluka of Palghar district, a tribal individual took his own life after enduring harassment from his captor. This individual had been enslaved after borrowing Rs 500 to buy a shroud for his son. Shockingly, the accused was identified as a close associate of a local MLA.

In another instance, reported weeks later, mid-day brought attention to families trapped in intergenerational bondage in a Bhiwandi village. These families were forced to work in brick kilns and stone quarry units, with dissenters facing severe consequences like public floggings, verbal abuse, and starvation. The female and minor members of these families were subjected to sexual abuse, while attempts to seek help were thwarted by the captors.

Survivors, despite the enforced silence, confided in mid-day's correspondent, leading to the filing of a separate FIR against the accused under the POCSO Act. This intervention aimed to bring justice and expose the pervasive exploitation faced by these vulnerable communities.

In September 2022, mid-day exposed an inter-district bonded labour racket. A 10-year-old girl from Igatpuri village was enslaved in Ahmednagar after her parents, facing economic hardship, accepted a meagre advance from the captor. The captor abandoned the severely injured girl at her parents' doorstep, and despite efforts, she succumbed to her injuries. The lack of immediate financial assistance forced the grieving parents, in extreme poverty, to dismantle their makeshift tent for their daughter's cremation.

Similarly, in June 2023, a tribal woman fled Phaltan village in Satara district after a horrifying gang rape incident involving her captor and four accomplices. The severity of the incident highlighted the urgent need to address the safety of vulnerable individuals in tribal communities.

Pandit expressed concerns about the fundamental rights of tribals, highlighting the government's failure to protect their social and economic interests. "Efforts are required to address systemic issues, enforce existing laws, and implement effective policies," he said, stressing the need for advocacy and legal interventions to hold both the government and exploiters accountable.

He also highlighted the lack of effective utilisation of funds intended for tribal welfare. "The absence of initiatives to eradicate poverty, generate employment, and provide suitable living conditions compounds the challenges faced by these tribes," Pandit said, emphasizing the necessity to address systemic issues and properly use allocated funds to improve tribal lives.

Regarding tribal migration, Pandit said, "Why do tribals migrate to urban cities and return to their home villages during monsoon? Since these tribals are unskilled labourers, the captors lure them with meagre advance so that they return after monsoon to continue their work. And once they return to work to repay the loan, the captors start exploiting them. I've been urging the state government for years to engage tribals in skill development programs to prevent their exploitation as unskilled labourers." He was also disappointed that despite numerous schemes, little upliftment occurs in tribal-dominated districts.

During the lockdown, Palghar district tribals resorted to consuming jungle leaves due to the absence of government ration distribution, contrasting sharply with official records. Corruption in the distribution system exacerbates malnutrition. Above all the consequences of inadequate medical facilities are tragic deaths among tribal children, pregnant women, and newborns in the state.

Rs 500
Amount a tribal was enslaved for not repaying