Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday ordered the permanent cancellation of the licence of a government-aided residential school for tribal children in Gadchiroli district after three girls died of snakebite at the institution, officials said. Following the shocking incident which took place at Japtalai village around midnight on Sunday, the government has decided to undertake a third-party audit of over 500 ‘ashram’ or residential schools for tribal children functioning in the state, they said.
The incident triggered angry reactions from opposition parties, with Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut saying that tribal people should release snakes at the official residence of CM Fadnavis to make him understand what real fear feels like.
Alleging neglect of tribal residential schools, he said snakes and scorpions should be released at ministers’ residences.
On Tuesday, Tribal Development Minister Ashok Uike gave detailed information about the incident at the cabinet meeting in Mumbai.
Fadnavis directed that the ashram school’s license be cancelled permanently, and the official who inspected the school recently and submitted a favourable report despite the deficiencies be suspended.
Uike questioned how a person like Congress leader Marotrao Kowase, a former MP, could run an ashram school in a manner that compromised the safety of girls.
The chief minister noted that the school had neither teachers nor a warden, and lacked even basic facilities despite receiving government grants.
Officials should not limit their inspections only to schools along major roads but should also inspect the schools situated in interior areas, he said.
Fadnavis also asked the chief secretary to convene a meeting and establish a comprehensive inspection mechanism for ashram schools.
Ministers present in the meeting expressed grief over the deaths of children, and discussed the sorry state of affairs at aided ashram schools, and how the situation can be improved, sources said.
Talking to PTI, minister Uike said the school at Japtalai was being run by Marotrao Kovase, a former Minister of State, since 1992.
As many as 50 girls were sleeping on the hostel’s floor on Sunday night when a snake bit six of them, and there was no warden present, he said, adding that the incident would be thoroughly investigated.
The supervisor who visited the school once a month will be suspended for failing to mention the school’s condition in the visit book, he added.
The government will also undertake a third-party audit of about 511 aided ashram schools in the state, the minister said.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Raut said the death of girls is very distressing and alleged they didn’t receive medical treatment in time.
He slammed Fadnavis, who is also the guardian minister of Gadchiroli, wondering whether he gives any attention to these issues.
Raut claimed tribal residential schools in Nandurbar, Gadchiroli and Chandrapur districts are in a bad condition.
Cases of snake and scorpion bites occur in these schools at least twice a week, and several fatalities are not even recorded, he added.
“I will ask adivasis to catch snakes and scorpions, and release them at residences of ministers. Let them understand the fear of ministers.
“Release snakes in Varsha (the official bungalow of the chief minister) and then see how their children will run helter-skelter,” said Raut.
He demanded the resignation of ministers belonging to tribal communities in the state on grounds of moral responsibility.
“The state government intends to make Gadchiroli the steel city of India. However, the environment’s destruction is rampant in the region. Mines have been allotted to those who donated (funds) to the BJP. They have felled the jungle, polluted rivers and reduced hills to rubble. This has led to the displacement of tribals, and wild animals started venturing into the schools and villages and killing them.
“What kind of development is this if three girls could not get medical treatment?” Raut asked.
He claimed 1,500 tribals have been killed by vehicles used in the mining business and no record of fatalities is maintained. “Their bodies are made to disappear,” he alleged and added that naxalism was eradicated for (helping) industrialists.
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