Tribals ignored in Development Plan for Mumbai, says local NGO

THANE: The Development Plan (DP) for Mumbai has ignored the tribal population living in various parts of the city, alleged local NGO Shramajivi Sanghatan said.

"When it comes to tribal welfare, government has always ignored the community and deprived them of basic amenities. I have seen the DP for the city, and I am sorry to state that there is nothing for the tribals in it," NGO's president, Vivek Pandit, told reporters here yesterday.

Citing a report of Tribal Research Institute, Maharashtra government, he said there are a total of 229 hamlets where around 80,000 tribals reside in Mumbai.

These hamlets are in regions Aarey Colony, Malad, Sanjay Gandhi National Park (Borivali), and parts of Yeoor etc.

"The condition of tribals living in these hamlets are worst even than those in predominantly tribal areas like Jawhar, Mokhada and talukas of Palghar district," he said.

Tribals are deprived of basic needs of water, health, education, housing and sanitation in the hamlets in Mumbai and Thane districts.

He charged the state government of sidelining tribals in the DP, which he said has been designed keeping in mind only the urban population of Mumbai.

Pandit said they will hold awareness camps in tribals hamlets and village from April 18-20 and brief them about the DP, adding, a 'padyatra' (foot march) would be taken out from National Park (Borivali) to Mantralaya to press for their demands.