Oppn questions govt on rural health facilities after woman delivers baby on road in Jalgaon
Pune: A woman's video of delivering a baby on the roadside in
Jalgaon
district in circulation on social media cast serious posers on medical facilities in rural Maharashtra, giving Opposition an ammo to launch an attack on state govt.
Rohini Khadse, the state working president of the women's wing of NCP (SP), said, "Three ministers in this govt are from Jalgaon. Yet, people of the district have to suffer in such a manner, which is quite shameful. It shows that the govt has failed in providing basic healthcare facilities in the rural parts of the state. The govt boasts of starting the Ladki Bahin scheme, but it could not provide an ambulance to one such ladki bahin when she needed it the most.
"
The widely circulated video was shot a few days ago in Chopda tehsil. According to villagers and NGO workers, the woman was experiencing severe labour pain and needed to be taken to a healthcare facility. Her husband tried to take her to the healthcare facility on his two-wheeler because the ambulance did not reach their house despite repeated calls. The woman could not bear the pain on the way and delivered the baby at the side of the road with the help of local women in the area.
Lok Sangharsh Morcha member Pratibha Shinde said, "The woman is from Bormali village. It is quite sad that the health department officials did not send an ambulance to take her to the healthcare facility in an emergency situation. Her husband had to take her on a bike for nearly 8km, and midway, she had to deliver the baby on the road."
Shinde said, "The govt has been claiming that they provide all the facilities in rural areas, but this incident has exposed the false claim.
It also shows the need for improvement in the healthcare system in the state on a priority basis."
The district administration admitted the facts shown in the video and initiated an inquiry. Jalgaon district collector Ayush Prasad said, "This incident is unfortunate. The ambulance was available, and the road to the village was motorable. Such an incident happened because of some mismanagement. Taking serious cognisance of it, we have initiated the inquiry. We are also taking steps to ensure such incidents do not happen in the future.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
It's still the fields as toilets in Nandurbar's tribal communities remain on paper
Nandurbar: Ranjana Sonawane, the first Aadhaar card holder, has got her Ladki Bahin dues that were held up over a mix-up in the bank last week, but she still has to battle the ordeal of not having a toilet facility and is forced to resort to open defecation. Other women from Tembhli in Nandurbar district still trek to the open fields before dawn for their ablutions. Bricks lined up for an unconstructed toilet block stand as a silent testament to unfulfilled government promises. "In the monsoon, it gets very difficult," Ranjana said with resignation in her voice. She points to a wall with small shrubs with thorns where the women are forced to go. Community toilets are non-functional and water nowhere to be found. Despite govt's ambitious Swachh Bharat Abhiyan which promised toilets for all, many tribal communities across Nandurbar district remain without sanitation facilities. Under the Swachh Bharat initiative, govt provides a financial incentive of Rs 12,000 per household for toilet construction, shared between central (Rs 7,200) and state governments (Rs 4,800). But there's a catch—the money is disbursed only after construction is complete. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Most Hyped Tecno Pova Curve 5G Starts at 15,999 TECNO Mobile Book Now Undo This reimbursement-based model has created a paradox for the district's poorest residents. They don't have the money to start building toilets before govt funds arrive. "We do not have money to meet our ends. Govt can give us money to construct the toilets," Ranjana said. Bharati, another resident from the village, said, "We do not have enough money to meet ends. How can we spend money on constructing a toilet?" The situation worsens in tribal hamlets in Dhadgaon and Akkulkuwa talukas in the district. Tribal women there have no clue about the scheme. "We are not aware of this govt scheme. We do not have water. How can we construct toilets?" says Shekhu Pawra, her weathered face reflecting years of hardship. Pulsingh Pawra said that their village Sawra Digar has no electricity, roads or even adequate water supply. "During summers, we have to queue up at the nearest lake which too dries up," he explains, highlighting the more fundamental infrastructural issues plaguing the region. Official data shows about 2.90 lakh households in Nandurbar district have benefited from the scheme, but thousands of applications remain "under assessment." A field officer from Nandurbar, who requested anonymity, said over 11,000 households in these areas have approached them saying that they do not have funds to construct toilet blocks. "The target is high and we have not been able to bridge this gap," he added. He explained that many beneficiaries are covered under PMAY (rural) where they have to construct their houses with toilets, and the state govt grants them a subsidy of around Rs 2 lakh for constructing their houses. In the district until last month, a little more than 1 lakh beneficiaries are listed under the scheme. Ranjana says she is not a direct beneficiary under PMAY rural scheme, but her son's name is on the list. However, they have no clue how and when they can start construction of a pucca house. Local administration officials said that Tembhli village with a population of over 3,000 has 275 independent toilets. A survey is going on, and the rest will be constructed, they added. District collector Mitali Sethi said that a survey is underway to determine how many toilets are constructed and how many are still awaiting construction. "Details are being mapped and I will look into it," she added. Villages across Dhadgaon and Akkalkuwa tehsils present a peculiar mix of homes without toilets and others with half-built structures abandoned due to insufficient funds. Even where toilets have been constructed, practical problems prevent their use. "There is no water. We travel long distances to get drinking water. It is unthinkable for us to use it for toilets," a resident of Dhadgaon taluka said, highlighting the interconnected nature of infrastructural challenges. BOX Promised Infrastructure A Long Way Off Throughout Nandurbar district, many completed toilet blocks stand repurposed as storerooms for firewood, fodder, or cooking utensils—a practical adaptation to an impractical solution. In January, under Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen Phase 2, the central government declared 95% of India's villages as ODF Plus (Open Defecation Free Plus), claiming a 460% surge from December 2022 to December 2024. For Maharashtra, official figures show about 60% of villages (24,746 of 40,247) have been verified as ODF Plus models, with another 6,305 categorized as "aspiring villages." Yet the ground reality in Nandurbar's remote hamlets tells a different story—one where the lack of upfront funding, water scarcity, and practical challenges continue to keep Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 2014 sanitation promise out of reach for the most vulnerable communities, leaving women to continue their daily trek to the fields in search of privacy and dignity
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Framer sets himself ablaze at Dharmapuri SP office
DHARMAPURI: A farmer set himself ablaze while lodging a petition at the office of the superintendent of police here on Wednesday. He is battling for life with 60% burn injuries at the Dharmapuri Govt Medical College and Hospital. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The man, identified as G Jayaraman, 52, hails from the Raja Thoppu area near Adhiyamankottai in the district. According to a police officer, G Jayaraman, 52, of Raja Thoppu area near Adhiyamankottai in the district visited the SP office to complain about the lack of progress in a cheating case he lodged with the Adhiyamankottai police in May. 'Jayaraman owns 1.5 acres of agricultural land and operates a poultry farm. As he was facing financial difficulties, he sought his neighbour M Selvaraj's help to pledge his land deed and secure some money. 'Selvaraj, 48, subsequently mortgaged Jayaraman's property for Rs10 lakh. He, however, handed over only Rs 3 lakh to Jayaraman, who lodged a police complaint against Selvaraj. The Adhiyamankottai police conducted an inquiry and managed to retrieve only one document from Selvaraj,' the officer said. Frustrated by the lack of progress in the case, Jayaraman visited the SP office on Wednesday to escalate the issue, he said. 'Jayaraman was waiting on the SP office premises. In a sudden act of desperation, he doused himself with kerosene and set himself on fire. We promptly extinguished the flames and rushed him to the Dharmapuri Govt Medical College and Hospital,' the officer said. A doctor said Jayaraman's condition was critical. The Dharmapuri town police have registered a case and are inquiring.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
After 11 years, Pankaja & Dhananjay come together on Gopinath Munde's death anniversary
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: After a gap of 11 years, the Munde cousins — minister Pankaja and former minister Dhananjay Munde — came together on Tuesday at Gopinathgad, in Beed's Parli Vaijnath, during the death anniversary observance of BJP politician Gopinath Munde . Earlier, the cousins used to visit Gopinathgad separately each year, avoiding interaction due to their political differences. Tuesday's occasion, featuring a religious ceremony and blood donation drive, garnered significant attention across Maharashtra, both for its political importance and the public reunion of the Munde cousins at the annual commemorative event. While Dhananjay Munde remained silent during the event, Pankaja Munde addressed the gathering and shared memories of her father. Before the event, Pankaja had said, "The NCP is now our ally, so we invited all functionaries from the party, including Dhananjay Munde. He is my cousin, and I am certain he will attend the function." The cousins, feeling politically isolated, have shown solidarity at public events throughout the past year, having resolved their differences before the previous year's elections. During her Gopinathgad speech, Pankaja said Dhananjay requested her to speak for the family. "He (Dhananjay) told me, 'You speak for all of us.' I am grateful to everyone who stood by me over the years as I found my footing in politics. This is a family, and every year, we wonder what we can do to keep Gopinath Munde's memory alive," she said. The BJP minister in the Devendra Fadnavis cabinet highlighted her father's public service. "If people knew how wounded he was, there would have been a wave of blood donations across the country. Today, we conduct health and blood donation camps to honour his legacy. He lives on through his ideals and the love of the people," she said. Referencing spiritual matters, Pankaja added, "Even Lord Ram and the Pandavas faced exile. I heard in the keertan today — greatness comes with pain." Additionally, Pankaja discussed her recent accommodation allocation. "I was finally given the Ramtek bungalow, which I requested back in 2014. At the time, it was occupied by a senior minister. Today, it feels like a great honour and a rare moment in history that I received this bungalow after Munde Saheb. This is not just a residence; it symbolises responsibility and commitment," she said.
