Residents and local officials of 18 remote tribal villages in Maharashtra's Raigad district on Thursday wrote to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, asking him to take preventive steps so that they are spared the fate of Irshalwadi hamlet which was flattened by a huge landslide.
These villages are situated in remote hilly areas and do not have motorable or pucca roads, the letter said. At least 16 persons were killed at Irshalwadi in Khalapur tehsil of Raigad district when a landslide struck on Wednesday night.
As the village is situated on a hilltop, a trek of one and a half hours from the nearest pucca road, heavy machinery like earth movers and excavators could not reach the spot quickly for rescue operations, officials said. "The country became independent 75 years ago but the tribal Thakar population of Irshalwadi did not have a pucca road," said one resident of the ill-fated village.
"The following tribal hamlets similarly do not have (pucca) roads and communication facilities. We are providing a list of these villages so that the government can take preventive measures and avert a repeat of another Irshalwadi (tragedy), and use modern machinery for rescue operations if such an incident takes place," said the letter.
Besides Isrhalwadi, the letter mentioned the villages of Hashyachi Patti near the hill station of Matheran, Katwan, Changwadi and Gaarbhat in Khalapur tehsil, and Dhakwadi, Tungi, Bekrewadi, Aasalwadi, Nanyancha Maal, Manha Dhangarwada, Dhamandand, Borichiwadi, Bhutavaliwadi, Sagachiwadi, Chinchwadi, Aashane Thakurwadi and Kirawaliwadi as vulnerable villages.
