Madhya Pradesh: Residents Of Rajiv Nagar, Tadvi Phalya Hamlets On Agitation In Barwani

Barwani (Madhya Pradesh): Scores of villagers from Rajiv Nagar and Tadvi Phalya hamlets boycotted the gram sabha meeting on Monday.

Both the hamlets are falling under Talun gram panchayat, barely eight kilometres away from Barwani district headquarters. Protesting villagers claimed that the lack of recognition and issuance of leases for Rajiv Nagar and Tadvi Phalya has hindered their access to basic amenities and government schemes.

They believed that declaring these areas as localities would not only address their grievances but also ensure their rightful entitlements as residents of the gram panchayat.

The villagers holding placards, staged a protest in front of the panchayat bhawan and also raised slogans. Villagers say that Rajiv Nagar and Tadvi Phalya, located under gram panchayat, should be declared localities and leases should be issued.

The villagers alleged that Rajiv Nagar and Tadvi Phalya hamlets falling under Talun gram panchayat itself, should be declared new localities, and patta should be issued to them. “We have been submitting applications and memorandums regarding this since 2004, but to date, no hearing has taken place,“ they said.

Villager Radheshyam Chandore said that there are more than 300 houses with around 1,600 voters in Rajiv Nagar and Tadvi Phalya, which have been excluded from localities.

“Since 2004, we have been making rounds of the collectorate and public representatives, but till date, our grievances have not been redressed,” they alleged. As a result of this, they are not able to get the benefits of government schemes.

“Till now, we have not even received the benefit of the housing scheme. Pattas will be issued to us only when the locality is declared. Then only we will be able to get the benefits of the housing schemes,” they added.

Once the localities are declared, the houses will be properly demarcated by the gram panchayat and mutual disputes will also end. “Today we staged a protest in front of the panchayat and put forward our demand that leases should be given after declaring locality. If our demands are not met before the model code of conduct is implemented, we will boycott the assembly elections,” they warned.

Husband of local sarpanch, Lokesh Nargave said that the demand of the villagers is justifiable. “I have been running with the villagers since 2004.”

“Many times, memorandums were submitted to the district administration and also to the public representatives, but no one paid any attention. There is anger among the villagers; they have said that they will boycott the assembly elections in protest. Once again, I will discuss this with the district administration and public representatives,” he added.