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Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Bailey bridges set to bring year-round connectivity to 14 Gadchiroli villages
Nagpur: From next monsoon onwards, over a dozen villages in Gadchiroli will no longer remain cut off from civilization due to floodwaters, as the government is set to start construction on advanced modular versions of the 'bailey bridge' in two talukas. Since time immemorial, every monsoon has seen over a hundred villages in remote parts of the district get marooned for either days or weeks, bringing life to a complete standstill in the hard-to-access regions. One of the bridges will be built on the Laheri-Hodi-Lashkar road in Bhamragarh at a cost of nearly Rs 20 crore. The second bridge will be built on the Permili–Yermanar–Kodsepalli–Mandra–Damrancha road in Aheri taluka and is slated to cost around Rs 18 crore. Both projects will be handled by the state Public Works Department. Avishyant Panda, district collector of Gadchiroli, said, "The two bailey bridges will be built in Bhamragarh and Aheri talukas. After completion, these bridges will provide year-round connectivity to 14 villages, out of the 112 that get cut off during monsoon-related flooding." Gadchiroli district sees the confluence of three rivers and has a hilly terrain, with road connectivity seeing improvement only in the last decade. District collector Avishyant Panda said that the projects were approved in 2018 by then chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, but were delayed due to design changes, cost escalations, and the need for revised estimates. Panda said, "All approvals have now come, and we expect the construction to be complete before next monsoon." For the people of these far-flung tribal villages, the bridges would mean an end to arduous boat crossings and treks through forested floodplains during the rainy season. The improved connectivity will also boost the delivery of government welfare schemes and encourage economic activity in a region often held back by its difficult terrain. WHAT IS A BAILEY BRIDGE? Bailey bridges are modular, prefabricated truss bridges developed during World War II for quick assembly without the need for heavy equipment. Made of lightweight steel panels that can be bolted together on-site, they are ideal for remote areas or emergencies — a perfect fit for Gadchiroli's challenging monsoon conditions. With the advancement in technology, they are now more sturdy than its WW-2 original version. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
08-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Ration, medicines to last 3 monsoon months supplied to 112 remote villages in Gadchiroli
Nagpur: In a proactive measure to ensure food security and healthcare for communities living in remote hamlets, the Gadchiroli district administration equipped 112 villages, which are cut-off during monsoon, with ration and a three-month stock of critical medicines under the Navsanjivani scheme. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The initiative is targeting 154 villages that are affected by floods, with supplies reaching 151 shops, with an aim that no household goes without basic grains during the rainy season. While the district supply department dispatched rations to these villages, the health department distributed vital medicines to primary health centres (PHCs), sub-centres, and ASHA and Anganwadi workers in Navsanjivani villages, said an official, adding that collector Avishyant Panda has reviewed the flood preparedness. The essential medicines include ORS, antibiotics (Amoxicillin, Doxycycline), antimalarials (ACT, Primaquine), anti-snake venom, and hypertension and diabetes medications (Amlodipine, Metformin). In areas lacking ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers are managing the distribution. To tackle emergencies, 299 'apatti mitra' or disaster friends and a 38-member rescue team stationed at district headquarters are on standby. Foldable stretchers have been distributed across talukas to evacuate seriously-ill patients and pregnant women from inaccessible areas. The Navsanjivani programme, with 43 appointed medical officers and 39 rapid-response vehicles, bolsters the flood relief efforts, while 13 vehicles under the PM Janman programme strengthen operations in remote areas, informed district information officer Gajanan Jadhav. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Post-flood measures include health check-ups for all villagers, drinking water testing, and Malathion dusting to prevent outbreak of disease. Local-language literature is also being distributed to raise awareness about precautions to be taken during floods. Additionally, two Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres (NRCs) and seven Child Treatment Centres (CTCs) are prioritising admission of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) children, ensuring vulnerable groups receive timely care. "Our goal is to ensure no village is left without food or medicine, even when cut off by floods," said a district official. 2 Buses Stranded in Floods on Gadchiroli-Nagpur Route Rescued Safely Nagpur: Heavy rainfall caused two buses to get stranded in floodwaters at separate locations on Gadchiroli-Nagpur highway on Tuesday. The buses stalled after their engines failed due to water ingress. The district administration promptly deployed JCBs and disaster management teams, successfully rescuing both vehicles with all passengers safe. A private bus carrying around 50 passengers was stuck in deep water near Thanegaon on the Gadchiroli-Armori road. Upon receiving an alert, the administration dispatched JCBs and a heavy-duty vehicle, enabling the disaster management team to extract the bus. Similarly, a state transport bus with 23 passengers stalled near the Gadhavi River bridge on the Gadchiroli-Nagpur National Highway due to engine failure. The administration swiftly sent a JCB to tow the bus to safety. No injuries were reported in either incident. The district administration arranged temporary shelter and meals for the passengers through local gram panchayats. District collector Avishyant Panda directed police to install barricades on all roads with water flow to prevent vehicles from crossing flooded areas. Nagpur-Gadchiroli Road Cut Off as Floods Submerge 19 Key Routes Nagpur: Heavy rainfall severed connectivity between Nagpur and Gadchiroli via Armori, with the Pal River bridge near Gogaon submerged, halting all traffic. Incessant rain, 168mm in Desaiganj and 145.6mm in Korchi in the last 24 hours, flooded 19 critical roads, including Gadchiroli-Armori, Desaiganj-Arjuni, and Kurkheda-Malewada, stranding commuters. Overflowing rivers and drains, coupled with Gosekhurd dam's release of 8,000 cumecs (set to rise to 12,500 cumecs), worsened the crisis. The Disaster Management Department urged riverside villagers to remain vigilant as flooding disrupted life across the district, with no immediate relief in sight.
Indian Express
04-07-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
Trapped in terrain: how a range of factors complicate Gadchiroli's fight against malaria
During monsoon, flooding causes over 212 villages in Gadchiroli – a district known for extensive forests, bamboo, tendu leaves, and for its tribal population – to become isolated for three to four months, leading to a further cutting off of roads to about 500 villages, severely impacting healthcare access, which is critical to tackle the region's malaria infections. Despite contributing only about one per cent to Maharashtra's population, Gadchiroli, a region affected by Maoist insurgency, accounts for approximately 50 per cent of the state's malaria cases. It faces a significant malaria problem, consistently reporting an Annual Parasite Incidence (API) above 2. An API of 2 means there are 2 or more confirmed malaria cases per 1,000 population in a year. This year, over 2,060 malaria cases have been identified here and three deaths have been reported so far, said Avishyant Panda, District Collector, Gadchiroli. The district reports malaria deaths every year – 13 in 2022; 12 in 2023 and 14 in 2024. The year 2021 saw the most cases in the last five years – 12,326, though only eight deaths were reported that year. Over the last five years between 2019 and 2024, a total of 51 deaths have been reported, as per the data provided by the malaria task force. Starting April 1, this year, Gadchiroli launched a comprehensive malaria eradication plan. A Malaria Eradication Task Force was initiated under the Public Health Department and chaired by Dr Abhay Bang, a public health expert and the Founder and Director of Society for Education, Action and Research in Community Health (SEARCH). Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also announced to allocate Rs 25 crore for the initiative through the Tribal Development Department. 'This year, the rain started in May. Usually, rain starts in mid-June. And so, small water collections have occurred in the forest everywhere. Hence, mosquito breeding has started much earlier. That is why the task force has cautioned the district administration that there is a likelihood of an early upsurge in malaria cases this year. And we have to be prepared to face a rise in cases this year on a war footing,' said Dr Bang. Terrain and other key challenges The district faces several geographical and environmental challenges – 76 per cent of Gadchiroli is covered by forests and hills, hindering development. Dense forests, rivers, and hilly terrain create ideal conditions for mosquito breeding, say sources. High transmission of Plasmodium falciparum (PF) – one of the two primary species of malaria parasites commonly found in India – is frequently observed, particularly in tribal blocks, and malaria demonstrates persistent and perennial transmission, with peaks occurring in July-August, according to the task force data. While Plasmodium falciparum is known to cause more severe and potentially fatal cases of malaria, Plasmodium vivax is generally considered milder. Panda told The Indian Express, 'The district is working on the availability of drugs and logistics for which we are specifically targeting three talukas that get cut off.' 'In malaria-positive cases, there has been a difficulty regarding whether to take blood smears. Every year, nearly 10 lakh blood smears have to be taken in the district. But really, microscopy of 10 lakh blood smears is a Herculean task. Then, a backlog develops. Hence, the task force has decided that all fever cases should be instantly examined by what is called RDT, Rapid Diagnostic Test. So, within 15 minutes, the result is available. And if it is positive for malaria, the patient is treated. So, every fever case must be tested by RDT as a regular practice,' informed Dr Bang. He added, 'There is an implementation committee to carry out this plan, under the chairmanship of the collector. So, this has not remained merely a health department programme. The collector, zilla parishad CEO, and the health departments are all involved, with the collector chairing it. The implementation would therefore involve various other sectors of the administration as well.' Socio-cultural factors There are other socio-demographic and cultural factors contributing to the issue. Ninety-seven per cent of the population lives in rural and tribal villages, which are often scattered and difficult to access. Locals often prefer traditional healers or pujaris for fever, leading to delayed malaria diagnosis and treatment. Risky practices such as outdoor sleeping and non-use of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) further increase the risk of malaria. Poor socio-economic conditions, low literacy, and lack of hygienic conditions are also contributing factors. 'We are trying to increase the testing efforts and routine surveillance. The RDK (Rapid Diagnostic Kit) method is being used for diagnosis in the field, and when a case is found positive, the first anti-malaria dose is administered. IEC (Information, Education and Communication) activities are also being carried out in Marathi and Madia languages,' Panda said. 'A school IEC programme is also being launched, with nodal teachers being appointed, even in ashram schools, because these are also used as shelter homes during floods. It is also being ensured that the school IEC programme benefits the parents as well,' Panda said. 'Some never reach institutions' Talking about factors associated with delay in treatments, Dr Bang said. 'There are several delays. There are various superstitions linked with fever in tribal areas, and people usually don't seek help immediately. They first go to the pujari. Then the pujari does his process, and so two–three days, sometimes even five days, are wasted there. From there on, most of the patients can actually be treated in the village itself by the ASHA workers (Accredited Social Health Activists) or the ANMs (Auxiliary Nurse Midwives).' 'But a small percentage, maybe 5 to 10 per cent, have more severe malaria and they need hospitalisation. So they are appropriately selected and referred to the hospital for treatment. There are delays that occur at every level. Besides, some people never reach institutions. And so certain measures have been decided on how we can avoid this,' Dr Bang said, adding that the task force also plans to seek pujaris' cooperation to tackle this issue. 'I recently held a meeting on anti-superstition practices with the police and revenue machinery. Here, malaria patients are often taken to pujaris. We have almost 2,000 pujaris in the district, so we have mapped them, and we want to start a programme where pujaris encourage people to go to medical facilities rather than treat them on their own. Deaths occur when medicines are not administered in time,' said Panda. Dr Bang adds, 'Of all the malaria deaths reported in Gadchiroli, nearly half of them are in children below 15 years of age. And world over, children are more vulnerable to malaria and to more serious forms of it.' Small villages, manpower shortage Three hundred villages lack Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs). There are also long-standing vacancies in vital manpower positions like Multi-Purpose Workers (MPWs), Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs), and technicians. 'The peculiarity of the Gadchiroli district is that, especially in the tribal areas, village sizes are very small. There are nearly 100 villages with a population of less than 100. So, for Gadchiroli, the ASHA norm has been relaxed by the Government of Maharashtra, and smaller villages are allowed to be included. So, an additional 191 ASHAs will be recruited for this need,' informed Dr Bang. He also informed that 200 positions for multi-purpose workers were filled recently. He added, 'Yet, nearly 100 villages remain where you can't imagine having an ASHA because the population includes hardly 10 to 15 homes. So there, we have decided that a resident in the village who is literate will be trained to use RDT and diagnose malaria.' Identifying villages that are more prone In 2024, 159 villages were classified as Category A (Annual Parasite Incidence (API)>50), indicating a very high malaria burden. Additionally, 357 villages were Category B (API 5-49.99), and 1,183 villages were Category C (API <4.99). Across six tribal blocks, 19 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) are classified as High Malaria Endemic with API>2, affecting 3.2 lakh people. Similarly, eight PHCs across six non-tribal blocks are High Endemic with an API >2, affecting 1.3 lakh people. This makes a total of 27 priority PHCs. Bhamragad, a tribal block in Gadchiroli which alone had over 174.3 API in 2021, contributes over 40 per cent of the cases in the district. Dr Supriyalakshmi Totiger, Deputy Director, Community Health Research at SEARCH, and a member of the Malaria Task Force in Gadchiroli told The Indian Express, 'Bhamragad has very thick central Indian forest. With that kind of ecosystem, you tend to find a lot of breeding sources easily available in the natural ecology, so removing mosquitoes and reducing mosquito density is difficult in such places. That is a major contributor to malaria in Bhamragad.' Taskforce sets 2027 target 'The last stage in malaria elimination is eliminating it in tribal regions. The task force identified 29 PHCs (Primary Health Centres) as high-risk areas in six tribal blocks and eight PHCs in non-tribal blocks. This covers around the population of 4.75 lakh, which is high risk. Hence, Bhamragad tops the list, followed by Etapalli and then Dhanora,' said Dr Totiger. 'One of the powerful strategies in tackling malaria, also recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), is the use of LLINs, that is, long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets. Under the Malaria Mukta Gadchiroli Abhiyaan, the task force will distribute 5 lakh LLINs, so that every family will have one mosquito net per person,' informed Dr Bang. Collector Panda added, 'For identified high-risk areas, we are conducting full-scale Indoor Residual Spraying and LLINs distribution. Fifty thousand LLINs have been procured and distributed so far.' The task force aims to achieve zero deaths due to malaria by 2027 and an API of less than one. The task force has also been supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Foundation for Disease Elimination and Control of India under Sun Pharma, Godrej Foundation, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and the National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR). 'The main season of malaria starts from July onwards. So, we have to wait and see what happens this year. It depends so much on the climate, rain, etc. Worldwide, malaria occurs cyclically. Every five or six years, you get an upsurge. The last upsurge was in 2021. So, one would expect, as a part of the natural cycle, another upsurge in 2026 or 2027,' Dr Bang said.
Time of India
18-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Foundation stone laid for Armori water pipeline project in Gadchiroli
Gadchiroli: The foundation stone for a Rs57 crore project, which involves laying a 91km pipeline to supply tap water to households in Armori taluka of Gadchiroli, was laid recently. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Maharashtra's minister of state for agriculture, relief, and rehabilitation, , who flagged off the works, said there should be no compromise in quality. The roads dug for the installation of the pipelines should be promptly reclaimed. Jaiswal is also the deputy guardian minister of the district. The project is part of the Armori water supply project under the of the govt. Jaiswal stated that if comprehensive development of the district is to be ensured, everyone from public representatives and govt officials to common citizens must come together to achieve the goal. Earlier, at an independent event, the district collector reviewed preparations to deal with a flood-like situation in the district. Gadchiroli is often cut off due to floods during the monsoons. Collector Avishyant Panda said a list of volunteers, including swimmers, must be kept ready. Medicines and a warning system should also be put in place, he said. He also directed health officials to maintain a sufficient stock of medicines.
Time of India
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
No xerox, STD booths in 200m NEET-UG exam centre vicinity
Nagpur: Authorities have banned certain activities and businesses within 200 meters vicinity of exam hall to ensure smooth conduct of NEET-UG exam on May 4. No xerox, fax, and STD shops can operate in the vicinity of the exam centre between 2pm-5pm. Nagpur district collector Dr Vipin Itankar confirmed that the orders have been issued and strict compliance of the same will be ensured. In Gadchiroli, collector Avishyant Panda too has directed officials to ensure that examination should be conducted unhindered for which prohibitory orders have been issued under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. The orders also restrict activities including sloganeering, singing, speeches, announcements, musical performances, and gatherings exceeding five people. Possession of weapons, sharp objects, explosives, flammable materials, or potentially harmful items is strictly forbidden. Unauthorised individuals and vehicles are not permitted within the restricted area during the examination, although officials on duty and police personnel maintaining law and order are exempt. TOI had reported earlier that this year NEET-UG will revert to its original exam format. After Covid hit, the exam pattern was changed to include 200 questions which could be solved within 3.2 hours. But now there will 180 mandatory questions that must be solved within 3 hours.
