Include Government Officials as Respondents

VIDARBHA JAN ANDOLAN SAMITI :
11, Trisaran Society, In front of Somalwar School, Khamla, Nagpur – 440 025
Tel No. (0712) 2282457 Mob No. 9422108846 / 9371137653 / 9373121947
(Regd Office: At Post: Pandharkawada-445 302, Tq: Kelapur, Distt: Yavatmal)
Ref No. VJAS/PIL-HC/Kolam Deaths/175/2007, April 25, 2007
PRESS NOTE – URGENT - PIL ON STARVATION & MALNUTRITION DEATHS OF KOLAM TRIBALS :

HIGH COURT ORDER TAKES SERIOUS VIEW ON PLIGHTS OF KOLAM POOR TRIBALS FACING STARVATION & MALNUTRITION DEATHS IN YAVATMAL DISTRICT OF VIDARBHA REGION.
NAGPUR, DATED 23rd April 2007 :

Nagpur Bench of Mumbai High-Court has today taken very serious view asked PIL Petitioner to add central govt. concerned officials as respondents and ordered the State Government to direct Amravati Divisional Commissioner to submit details of action taken reports by Wednesday 25th April, as High Court has decided to hold urgent daily hearing in the matter of PIL filed asking high court to save dying Kolam Tribal community due to apathy of govt.

The Division Bench of the High Court at Nagpur consisting of Justice Shri Ambadas H. Joshi and Justice Shri R.C. Chavan while hearing the Public Interest Writ Petition, filed by Vidarbha JanAndolan Samiti President, Shri Kishore Tiwari, in the matter of infringement of fundamental rights to Live & Life of the poor tribal families in the Tribal Belt of Yavatmal District,

Earlier last month, High court ordered Petitioner Vidarbha JanAndolan Samiti President Shri Kishore Tiwari, & all concerned officials, of the State Government, to implement the Action Taken Report on the Kolam Tribals Starvation & Malnutrition Deaths in Yavatmal District of Vidarbha Region, which is most affected, due to non implementation of various schemes for the benefit of poor tribal families residing in the 710 tribal villages of Nine Talukas of Yavatmal District for protection of fundamental rights of Food, Shelter, Education, Health and Drinking Water to be made available to the tribals.

The tribal families who all are deprived of basic means of life such as food, shelter, education, health & drinking water, due to the apathy of the State Government in implementation the various welfare schemes, even after the report from the High Power Committee appointed by the High Court in the PIL.
It may be recalled that the PIL Writ Petition was filed way back in May 2003 when the 52 Kolam Tribals died of starvation in Yavatmal District.
The High-Court Division Bench at Nagpur had appointed various committees from time to time, during the period, of last 3 ½ years and finally, had directed the State Government to submit Action Taken Report.

Today when the matter come up for hearing the Petitioner's Counsel Adv. Adv. Ajay Somani pointed out various shortcomings in the implementation of various schemes for the tribals.
After hearing both the sides, High Court ordered State Government to direct Divisional Commissioner at Amravati to submit details of action that govt. has taken so far, as per as kolam tribal basic issues of food, potable water, health care and shelter is concern and nominate the responsible officer not below the rank of collector in order to fix accountability of govt.
Lapses in the implementation of various schemes for kolam tribal and have regular in the matter of implementation of the Action Taken Report, for the welfare of the poor tribal families residing in the Nine tribal Talukas of Yavatmal District.
A.G.P. Bharati Dangare appeared for the Government of Maharashtra.