Bhayandar : Surrounded by corporate towers, high-end restaurants, shopping malls and multi-storey buildings apartments, Mashacha Pada, is a adivasi hamlet in Mira Road. However, thanks to the negligent attitude of authorities, development has virtually bypassed this hamlet which houses more than 125.
Reflecting a picture of an area forgotten from ages, the 500-odd residents of this hamlet located near the Western Express Highway, are still deprived of basic necessities, including toilets, water and health care facilities. Even roads are still a distant dream and potable water an amenity they hardly can think of. Some years back the hamlet did get six hand-pumps, but some of them have now started dispensing contaminated water while others are out of order and ever since no one has turned up to repair it, villagers allege. “Only one hand pump is in working condition and water from that is not potable, women folk of the village have to walk more than half a kilometre to fetch drinking water from nearby areas” laments Barkya Vartha.
The civic administration has built a public toilet but that is too far away on the outskirts of the hamlet and with non-functional streetlights, making it impossible for the villagers to use it during the night. And with no civic medical dispensary in the area, villagers, in case of medical emergencies, have to rely on the nearest public health centre in Kashigaon, which takes patients more than half an hour to reach. “Since the day I have been elected as corporator of this ward I have made several representations to the top brass of the civic administration, but unfortunately no action has been taken till now.” says, municipal corporator, Dakshata Thakur.
Suresh Golani
