West Bengal: The Intersection Between Child Labour and Child Marriage

Sandip Chakraborty | 06 Jun 2025

With rising instances of child marriages being reported, the state government and UNICEF call for focus on regular monitoring and creating awareness.

Kolkata: Khalil Ahmad, 10, (name changed) helps his father sell fruits at South Jagaddal in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. A student of Class 5, Khalil tops his class and is considered a meritorious student. His father being illiterate, he does all fruit sales accounting, giving back the exact change to customers.

“I want him to study at least up to Class 10 and then I will arrange his marriage,” his father, Iftiqar Ahmad, shared his plans with NewsClick. When informed that child marriage was prohibited in India, he said “It might be prohibited among the well-off, but in our India, it is the norm. Even the Imam of our mosque has told us to get a young bride for Khalil and other young boys lest they go astray and elope,” he added.

For Abinash Mahato, 8, (name changed), the situation is more grave. One of seven children of a daily wager in Jhalda block of Purulia, he was sent to Kolkata and practically sold to tea stall owner at Garia. The deal was that his father would be paid Rs 800 for Abinash’s work per month in the tea stall, where he would wash utensils and serve customers. When asked about his future plans, Abinash said one day he hoped to own a tea stall, too.

Neha Khatun, 9, who was recently rescued from a house in an apartment block at Narendrapur in South 24 parganas by an NGO, her mother, a domestic worker with three children (two boys and Neha) is estranged from her husband. She said she found it difficult to feed the three mouths. The boys, who are younger, are studying in Dakshin Barasat, so she was trying to marry Neha off. When we warned her about law enforcement agencies, her mother asked: “Will the police feed Neha? By getting married she would at least lead a dignified life.” In the village, marriage at a young age was taking place, and the police was finding it difficult to intrude in these marriages that, as per the local Imam, were “made in heaven.”

The United Nations Children’s Fund or UNICEF, which has been working in the area of child education has often expressed concern over the reported cases of child labour and child marriages in West Bengal.

According to Paramita Neogi, Child Protection Specialist, UNICEF, West Bengal: “UNICEF calls for a multipronged approach to retain children in school through quality education, promotion of access to social protection for families. This UN body promoting children's rights also envisages a trained workforce for need based response and effective law enforcement which can together go a long way in eliminating child labour.”.

When asked, a government official on the condition of anonymity told NewsClick that child marriages were taking place due to “abject poverty”, which was “the real culprit”. The official said the government was trying to intervene in such marriages and instances of child labour, but community pressure and peers sanctioning such marriages made the task difficult, especially among the minority communities due to “pressure from the local Imams.”. Similarly, in the Hindu community, too, such marriages were taking place, with the panchayat members keeping silent and not informing the police and other law enforcement agencies.

 

Govt Awareness Drive on Child Marriages

With a view to preventing child marriage further in the state, the West Bengal government said it would lay emphasis on building awareness among girls and boys about the harmful effects of this social practice.

"It's not the girls alone, boys also have to be educated about the ill-effects of early marriage and should be demotivated from marrying before their legal age," Shashi Panja, Minister of Women and Child Development and Social Welfare, recently said at a state-level consultation on ‘Adolescent Empowerment’ attended by government officials from various departments across districts.

Panja urged the officials gathered to share their experiences in fighting the menace of child marriage since the launch of the District Action Plan three years ago and later the Child Marriage Reporting and Tracking Mechanism. The state has reported that more than 41% girls were getting married underage in National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS) released in 2020-21.

Additional District Magistrates and other officials attending the programme reported that many boys were getting married below 21 years of age. "Building awareness in society is the key to stopping this. Also include men and boys more in the meetings on child marriage with girls and women," the minister said, while releasing 'Guidelines for Implementation of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006 in West Bengal'. 

The minister also asked officials from the departments of Health and Family Welfare, School Education, Panchayat and Rural Development, Technical Education, Training and Skill Development to deal with the problem “more empathetically” as present day adolescents were exposed to many lures and distractions, including online and social media platforms on mobile phones. She also highlighted how the  Kanyashree Prakalpa scheme had been “empowering adolescent girls on online safety besides motivating them to remain in school and not get married.”

In NFHS-5, the highest number of child marriages were reported to have taken place in Purba Medinipur (57%) followed by Purba Bardhaman (50%) and Jalpaiguri, the lowest at 18%.

 

Sanghamitra Ghosh, Principal Secretary, WCD department, urged officials to use the Child Marriage Reporting and Tracking Mechanism regularly. The mechanism was launched by the state government, with the help of UNICEF in 2023 to collect data from the districts and portray the real-time situation.

Describing this consultation as “ a renewed call to action”, Monjur Hossain, chief of UNICEF in West Bengal, said holistic development of adolescents required concerted, coordinated and multi-sectoral actions by all stakeholders concerned. "The involvement of key community influencers, panchayat members, SHGs, religious leaders, teachers, students, youths and adolescents is necessary to challenge harmful norms and support girls' and boys' empowerment," he added.

 

Jordan: Authorities Arrest Leading Left Leader Issam Khawaja

Peoples Dispatch | 05 Jun 2025

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The detention of Dr. Khawaja is suspected to be based on political grounds amid a growing crackdown on freedom of expression in Jordan.

Dr. Issam Khawaja, Deputy General Secretary of the Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party (known in Jordan as Wihda Party).

On Wednesday, June 4, Jordanian security services arrested Dr. Issam Khawaja, the Deputy General Secretary of the Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party (known in Jordan as Wihda Party).

The prominent Left Jordanian leader, who is also a pediatric neurologist, was arrested while leaving his workplace at Al-Basheer Hospital, in the Jordanian capital Amman.

Wihda Party condemned his arrest in a press statement, calling it “a clear violation of fundamental rights to which Jordanian citizens are entitled, including the freedom of speech and peaceful assembly.”

The party pointed out that the detention of its deputy general secretary contradicts discussions about modernizing the political system, and the rights guaranteed by the Jordanian constitution and the international conventions.

The party affirmed that it will adhere to its positions in defense of public freedom, demanding “the immediate release of comrade Dr. Issam Khawaja and all prisoners of conscience.”

It is worth noting that the authorities in Jordan escalated their crackdown on the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in the last few years, which has been widely criticized by international rights groups including Amnesty International, Freedom House, MENA Rights Group and Human Rights Watch.

Jordan’s security services issue vague statement about arrests

Although the reason behind Dr. Issam’s arrest has not been confirmed yet, a vague statement attributed to an unnamed security source was published by state-run news agency AlMamlaka late on Wednesday, announcing the detention of a number of unidentified “individuals” for allegedly “violating the law while participating in a march in Amman’s city center during the past weeks.”

According to the security source, those “individuals” were arrested “over chanting misleading and offensive slogans against the state, and violating the provisions of the law.” The source added that the detainees “will be referred to the Public Prosecutor, who will act thereupon as required by the law.”

The broadly-worded statement concluded by warning “all violators” of being prosecuted and detained by the concerned judicial authority, emphasizing that “no one would be allowed to commit any transgression or violation of the law, or offend Jordan and the Jordanian people.”

Courtesy: Peoples Dispatch

 

Argentina: Milei’s Chainsaw Economics Faces Working Class Unity

Pablo Meriguet | 07 Jun 2025

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The mobilisation united groups of women, workers, people with disabilities, doctors, scientists, etc., who are being hit hard by the economic policy of Milei’s government.

Mass mobilisation on June 4, 2025, in Argentina. Image: Nicolás Hernández / El Grito del Sur

Tens of thousands of Argentines took to the streets of the country’s capital, Buenos Aires, June 4 to demand an immediate change in the ultra-neoliberal policies of President Javier Milei. The mobilization took place outside the National Congress, which was discussing a potential increase in pensions for retirees. Last year, Milei vetoed a pension increase that was approved by the Congress.

This time, the legislature approved an increase of nearly 7% in pensions, which now must be approved by the Senate.

However, Milei has already warned that the “demagogic and populist” decision, will be vetoed once again because it threatens the government’s much-touted goal of “fiscal balance”, pursued even at the cost of rising poverty, denying people with disabilities access to medicines, and defunding pediatric hospitals.

“Let’s hope the senators don’t support this populist demagogy, but in any case, our commitment is to veto anything that undermines the ZERO DEFICIT. The end,” the president posted on X.

As a result, any potential favorable decision for retirees is expected to be blocked.

Unity in the streets

Nevertheless, the mobilisation succeeded in uniting different sectors of society. Pensioners, scientists and researchers, feminist movements, trade unions, doctors, political parties, families with disabled children, artists, journalists, etc., converged outside National Congress to oppose the radical economic adjustment in state spending.

Feminist collectives and organizations, also marking the 10 year anniversary of the “Ni Una Menos” movement, took to the streets under the slogan “Against cruelty, hunger, and looting, not one less retired woman”, along with the Popular Economy Workers Union, the State Workers Association, La Cámpora, the Socialist Workers Movement, the Workers’ Pole, and two trade union centers.

All the different sectors have agreed that their demands have something in common: their opposition to the neoliberal project of the Argentine right wing. More importantly, they not only believe their various struggles can unite but that they have a historic duty to do so if they wish to confront their common enemy.

Defunding children’s health

An example of this growing unity is the participation of the workers of Dr. Garrahan Pediatric Hospital, after its budget was reduced by the central government as it carried out its fiscal adjustment plan. In response to the anger and criticism that the decision provoked, Milei proceeded to try to discredit the pediatric center. “This is the trap that the Kirchnerite psychopaths have created: they invent schemes around sensitive topics, and when you go and deactivate them, they treat you as insensitive,” said Milei after defunding the children’s hospital.

This drew more doctors, from various hospitals and institutions, into the streets June 4 in solidarity with their colleagues and pediatric patients. Garrahan Hospital workers have already declared a partial strike in response to the government’s failure to respond to their demands.

In addition, Milei also cut disability benefits, a decision that has been maintained by the neoliberal president despite growing backlash.

Attacks on a child with autism

Several families of people with disabilities came out to protest on June 4 in solidarity with Ian Moche, a 12-year-old autistic child influencer who uses his platform to raise awareness about autism. Moreover, Moche, who is a disability rights activist, and his mother denounced that Diego Spagnuolo, head of the National Disability Agency and Milei’s former lawyer, questioned state aid to people with disabilities.

The mother said that Spagnuolo told her: “If you had a child with a disability, that is the family’s problem, not the State’s.”

The official denied that he said that, but the issue wasn’t limited to that one comment. Milei republished a post on X suggesting that Moche’s activism is the result of political manipulation: “It turns out that [Moche] comes from an ultra-Kirchnerist family, [i.e., sympathetic to the governments of Néstor Kirchner and Cristina Fernández], and they had already used him with Massa and Cristina Fernández.”

After this, Moche and his mother were the target of numerous social media attacks by Milei’s followers, sparking further outrage across Argentine society.

Even politicians close to Milei, such as María Eugenia Vidal, rejected the president’s stance: “He is 12 years old. He does not shout, does not insult, does not point. He only speaks with respect and knowledge, and campaigns for inclusion. Some adults could learn a lot from Ian.”

Against Kirchnerism or the state?

Thus, Milei appears to be justifying his aggressive program of budget cuts by labeling any institution or social benefit he wants to defund as Kirchnerist, an approach that, in turn, is raising doubts about the democratic character of the government.

But the truth is that behind each of Milei’s economic actions, there is a pattern that he has been fully consistent with: “I love being the mole that destroys the state. I am the one who destroys the state from the inside. It is like infiltrating enemy ranks.”

Milei’s agenda has provoked widespread opposition, which is rapidly multiplying across sectors that are increasingly determined to struggle against the neoliberal government. In this regard, Nicolás del Caño, an Argentine legislator, said: “If we are debating this today, it is thanks to the tenacity and struggle of the retirees who this Wednesday are accompanied by multiple sectors such as the group of people with disabilities, along with doctors, workers from the Garrahan Hospital, the women’s movement, among many others.”

Whether long-term unity across the sectors hit by Milei’s neoliberal adjustment can be achieved remains to be seen. What is certain is that the libertarian project – though it may at times seem to advance with absolute determination – is mistaken if it thinks it won’t be met with resistance from the very sectors that it targets at every step.

Courtesy: Peoples Dispatch

 

Argentina: Thousands of Scientists Protest Milei’s Neoliberal Adjustment

Pablo Meriguet | 31 May 2025

The mobilisations that took place all over the country denounced the reduction of the budget for scientific research, which resulted in the loss of jobs and the penalisation of projects.

Protest of researchers and scientists in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Photos: Collaborative Coverage / RAICYT

On May 28, thousands of scientists, academics, and students protested in Argentina against the critical situation facing the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET). The protests followed the announcement by the neoliberal government of Javier Milei to cut the state budget for scientific research (from 0.3% of GDP to 0.15%). The mobilizations took place in several cities across the South American country.

The demonstrations were called by the Association of State Workers (ATE) of CONICET under the slogan “No one saves themselves alone. Without workers there is no science, without science there is no future.” The ATE denounced the precarity of the science sector in Argentina due to the lack of funding. They argue that low salaries, lack of supplies, and the halting of projects forces talented researchers to migrate out of the country or seek employment with private companies.

According to Telesur, “11% of Conicet’s administrative staff was reportedly laid off, along with a reduction of 1,291 workers, including 46% of doctoral and postdoctoral fellows. In addition, there was a 24% increase in resignations among members of the Scientific and Technological Researcher Career (CIC) and a 46% increase in administrative staff resignations.”

In addition, the purchasing power of scientists dependent on CONICET has reportedly been reduced by 35% since December 2023.

“No one saves themselves alone”

The huge success in Argentina and Latin America of the Netflix series called “El Eternauta” (based on the comic by Héctor Oesterheld, an Argentine screenwriter who was disappeared along with his family during the last military dictatorship) has inspired thousands of Argentines to recover one of the famous phrases of the series. Scientists of CONICET called for mobilizations, remembering Oesterheld: “The murder of science advances. So does the resistance. No one saves themselves alone.” Dozens of scientists who marched through the streets wore masks, costumes, and other props related to the series, “El Eternauta”.

The reference is no accident. The series talks about the collective struggle in the face of a sort of winter apocalypse, something that the Argentine opposition has compared to Milei’s neoliberal and libertarian project, which seeks to destroy any hint of collective struggle in a society historically defined by collective struggles, including the struggles that made CONICET, one of the most important scientific institutions in Latin America today.

About the mobilization of May 28, Sol Martínez Allende, General Secretary of ATE CONICET told Barricada TV: “It was a great day of struggle. There were marches in different parts of the country. Conicet workers mobilized en masse. In the face of the bleak panorama today gives us a great boost… [Milei’s Government] is a government that came to do this: to destroy the state. It is a government that does not believe in national sovereignty and has very close contacts with the United States and Israel. It is servile to those interests.”

Gonzalo Sanz, Deputy Secretary of ATE CONICET said, “the theme became reality, and it was reflected in a great collective effort.” 

He described a weeks-long process where colleagues and workers from different institutions in over 15 cities across the country worked together to make masks, paint posters, and plan their interventions. “It was truly this idea that the solution is collective. That was seen on this day of struggle. I think this is one of the most positive things that came out of today’s event.”

Elaborating on the organization’s perspective on the solution to the budget adjustment, Sanz said:

“Milei is receiving support from international financial organizations, particularly through the Trump administration in the United States. There is domestic political support, international political support … behind this adjustment. So, not only do we have to mobilize because it’s the only tool we know … but also because the response to this is political.”

Courtesy: Peoples Dispatch

 INDIA

Bengaluru is Now Largest Metro With Highest 80-85 Leopards

Seema Sharma | 07 Jun 2025

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A year-long camera-trap survey by Holématthi Nature Foundation, led by conservation biologist Dr Sanjay Gubbi, has revealed this finding.

Image credit: Sanjay Gubbi

Despite the acknowledged fact of frequent habitat loss across the country, there is heartening news coming from forests and scrublands fringing Bengaluru I Karnataka, which harbouring an estimated  80–85 wild leopards, including 54 individuals inside the Bannerghatta National Park (BNP).

With this finding, Bengaluru now surpasses Mumbai’s documented population of 54 leopards and becomes the large metropolis with the highest known number of free-ranging big cats. The remaining 30 leopards roam in the reserved, deemed and private forests scattered across the metropolitan periphery.

A year-long camera-trap survey by Holématthi Nature Foundation (HNF), led by conservation biologist Dr Sanjay Gubbi, has revealed this finding.

“It is also the only metro whose fringes still support an ensemble of tigers, leopards, dholes, elephants, gaur, sambar and other large mammals,” the finding states.

The team deployed more than 250 camera traps across 282 km of mixed habitat—Turahalli, Turahalli Gudda, B.M. Kaval, U.M. Kaval, Roerich Estate, Gollahalli Gudda, Sulikere, Hesaraghatta, Marasandra, Manduru and adjoining government and private lands—as well as throughout Bannerghatta National Park (BNP).

Besides leopards, 34 mammal species were photo-captured, four of them ‘endangered’ and four ‘near threatened’ on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List.

Around 22 species fall under Schedule I and five under Schedule II of India’s Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972—underscoring the national and global importance of safeguarding Bengaluru’s remaining natural habitat.

The number of leopards inside BNP has risen gradually —from 40 in 2019, 47 in 2020 to 54 in 2025. The organisation attributes the increase primarily to stricter protection that has protected prey species in the given space and hence improved the prey availability for leopards.

The finding also acknowledged the fact that the past translocation of leopards which came in conflict with the humans from other districts may also have contributed to the increased number in Bengaluru’s outskirts.

The survey for Status of Leopards in India 2022, which covered 20 states and about 70% of the expected leopard habitat, had also found a significant increase in the overall leopard population. From an estimated 8,000 leopards in 2014, the number rose to 12,852 by 2018. The states that boasted largest populations of leopards were Madhya Pradesh (3,421), followed by Karnataka (1,783), and Maharashtra (1,690).

The increase in leopard numbers also rasies concern with regard to the rapid shrinking of leopard habitats over the past century. This robust species, which adapts well for its survival, has been forced to venture into closer proximity with human settlements, leading to more frequent sightings and potential conflicts.

Factors, such as urban expansion, deforestation, and agricultural activities, which are encroaching on the natural habitats of leopards, have pushed them into human-dominated landscapes.

The major credit which the report cites for the increase in leopard population in Bengaluru’s fringes also goes to the people co-existing with leopards and other large wildlife.

The Report’s Suggestions

The report points out at key requirements for the wildlife conservation in the forests on the outskirts of Bengaluru:

• Notify B.M. Kaval, U.M. Kaval, Roerich Estate and Gollahalli Gudda as a Conservation Reserve—a long-term “lung space” for Bengaluru that also secures groundwater recharge and wildlife habitat.

• Add Durgadakal RF, Bettahalliwade RF (Block B) and the deemed forests of J.I. Bachahalli and M. Maniyambal to Bannerghatta NP, where camera traps even photographed tigers.

• Safeguard the Muneshwarabetta–Bannerghatta wildlife corridor through appropriate conservation measures.

• Intensify community outreach so Bengaluru’s rapidly expanding suburbs can coexist safely with leopards.

• Halt further translocation of leopards into BNP; instead, address root causes of human–leopard conflict at the source sites.

 

The writer is a freelance journalist.

INDIA

Maharashtra: In Remote, Gadchiroli Tribal Villages, Climate Change is Breeding Malaria

Sanjana Khandare | 10 Jun 2025

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A warming climate, unpredictable rainfall, and longer mosquito breeding seasons are resulting in an unprecedented surge in malaria cases across the forested belt.

Gadchiroli grapples with the deadly consequences of malaria (Photo - Representative images from Pixahive)

Gadchiroli, Maharashtra: “I lost my husband to cerebral malaria in 2018. Three years later, my elder son, who had taken his place as a constable, died the same way,” said Parvati Jagannath Madavi (40) from Aheri village in Maharashtra’s remote Gadchiroli district. By 'same way', Madavi is referring to the patrolling duty the duo undertook in the forest belt of Gadchiroli — which observes high police monitoring and patrolling due to Naxalite presence.

Her son, Mahesh Madavi (28), was on forest patrol duty when he developed a persistent fever. The family took him to the Aheri Primary Health Centre (PHC), fearing malaria, but the tests came back negative, and Mahesh was prescribed some medicines along with bed rest.

“But how long could he stay at home?” Parvati added.

Mahesh rejoined duty within two weeks and collapsed on the job. He was once again taken to the PHC where he fell off the bed, and being severely ill, he was urgently shifted to Chandrapur district hospital. There, doctors confirmed their worst fears: Mahesh had contracted cerebral malaria and was already in a coma.

“We took loans, tried everything to save him. But malaria took him too,” Parvati said.

Her story is not an isolated incident. Every year, families in Gadchiroli grapple with the deadly consequences of malaria. The vector-borne disease is caused by the Plasmodium parasite, transmitted through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. If left untreated, it can lead to severe complications, including organ failure and even death.

Malaria is especially prevalent in areas surrounding the district’s 27 PHCs, with Bhamragad and Dhanora villages reporting the highest numbers. In 2023, Gadchiroli reported 5,866 malaria cases and 10 deaths. These numbers rose to 6,698 cases and 13 deaths in 2024. 

Caught between rain, heat and malaria

According to health officials, a warming climate, unpredictable rainfall, and longer mosquito breeding seasons are resulting in an unprecedented surge in malaria cases across the forested belt.

Data accessed through a Right to Information (RTI) query shows that the malaria cases in Gadchiroli have been steadily rising since 2019. That year, the district saw 2,428 malaria cases — which spiked to over 12,000 in 2021. While there was a dip in 2023, the trend reversed again in 2024.

These fluctuations also mirror the changes in local climate patterns. For example, in February 2024, Gadchiroli experienced an unusually high maximum temperature of 31.6°C, which was above the normal range of 24-28°C.

“Higher temperatures allow mosquitoes to live longer and spread malaria over extended periods. Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water, which becomes easily available during the monsoon, and additionally, unseasonal rains create ripe breeding grounds for them. This not only increases malaria risk during the rainy season but also extends it to unexpected times of the year and to once safer areas,” Dr Bhushan Divekar, Taluka Medical Officer in Bham

Dr Bhushan Divekar, Taluka Medical Officer in Bhamragad (Photo - Sanjana Khandare, 101Reporters).

Rainfall patterns too have become increasingly erratic. According to Dr Divekar, Gadchiroli now faces prolonged dry spells punctuated by heavy, untimely rains, especially in the pre-monsoon season.

According to Dr Divekar, water scarcity during low rainfall periods forces people to store water in open containers, creating ideal conditions for mosquito breeding.

“Moreover, these unpredictable shifts in rainfall make agricultural planning difficult, which eventually leads to stagnant water bodies. These sources allow the mosquito population to thrive,” said Prajakta Pedapalliwar, former chairperson of the Aheri Municipal Council, adding, “Specially, in Aheri, rice is commonly cultivated, and leftover stubble is often left in the fields, which also traps water, further encouraging mosquito breeding.”

“It’s crucial to break the myth that malaria is only a monsoon disease. It can strike at any time,” Pedapalliwar said.

Where help doesn’t reach

The situation in Gadchiroli gets trickier due to the inaccessibility of several areas in the district. During monsoon season, about 212 villages become entirely cut off due to flooding and poor road access. Out of Gadchiroli’s 1,675 villages, 766 have fewer than 300 residents — too small to meet the criteria for posting permanent healthcare workers like ASHAs (Accredited Social Health Activists). As a result, many villages remain without even basic primary healthcare support.

One such village is Jimlagatta in Aheri taluka, where in September 2024, Ramesh Veladi lost his two sons to malaria within just two hours of each other. Bajirao Veladi (3) and Dinesh Veladi (6) were taken to the nearest healthcare sub-centre in Bori village, where their condition worsened, but there was no ambulance to take them to the larger hospital in Pattigav.

With no other option, Veladi carried his sons on his shoulders, walking nearly 15 kilometres through muddy paths and swollen streams. By the time he reached, it was too late. He returned the same way, this time with the lifeless bodies of his children.

“One of the reasons why Aheri is relatively worse affected by the vector-borne disease as compared to other villages is the lack of proper infrastructure here,” Pedapalliwar said.

“Everyone talks about developing Gadchiroli because of its mineral wealth, but real development still feels out of reach. The tribal communities don’t even have access to basic healthcare. The government says these areas don’t meet the population criteria for setting up health centres…but these are permanent settlements, where people live and farm. If the government brought healthcare to where people actually live, we could start seeing a real drop in malaria cases,” she added.  

Prajakta Pedapalliwar from Aheri with kids (Photo - Sanjana Khandare, 101Reporters).

The cost of neglect

Most malaria cases are reported during the monsoon season, when transportation becomes a major obstacle. Flooded rivers and washed-out forest paths make it difficult for patients to reach PHCs.

“Government hospitals have a mandated three-day course of medication when a malarial case is reported. But, deaths occur not just because someone has contracted malaria but also due to the delay in treatment,” Dr Kailas Nikhade, an environmental researcher from Gadchiroli, said. “Even police personnel stationed in forests contract malaria, but helicopters are sent immediately to evacuate them. That level of response has never been available to ordinary citizens,” he added.

For ordinary citizens, ASHA workers are responsible for delivering first-line care, but the terrain and climate conditions often limit their ability to respond promptly. Each ASHA is typically assigned multiple hamlets spread across forested areas with poor transport access. Kalpana Pungati, an ASHA worker from Kiar village in Bhamragad block, described how monsoons have become increasingly severe over the past decade, making outreach difficult. “We often have to cross overflowing rivers and streams to reach patients. Earlier, the water levels were manageable. Now, due to erratic and heavy rainfall, the volume and force of water have increased,” she said. “Roads are in bad shape, bridges are no longer reliable, and many times we have to travel alone carrying medicines and vaccines.”

Sayali Meshram, a resident of Aheri, echoed the same sentiment. “During the monsoon, transportation comes to a halt. People are forced to carry sick relatives on cots or shoulders for several kilometres to reach the nearest hospital,” she said. “This year, a young child died from fever. His father had no other option but to carry the body for over three kilometres on foot. These are the deaths of poor people, and no one pays attention.”

The gaps on the ground

Despite government efforts to control malaria in Gadchiroli — from distributing mosquito nets and mosquito-repellent creams to releasing guppy fish to control larvae growth — prevention remains a challenge on the ground.

Pallavi Gortekar, an ASHA worker from Malewada, said, “People are given mosquito nets, but some use them to catch fish instead of protecting themselves.” According to Kavita Kudmete of Alapalli village, the nets are “too hot for children in summer, so people use them for fishing and hardly anyone uses Odomos daily.”

“What we need is a large-scale intervention; mosquito nets and creams are not enough,” said Aheri resident Jayashree Madavi. She added that poor drainage systems and mismanaged wastewater are the major factors contributing to the region’s mosquito problem.  

Pedapalliwar, who is also an environmental researcher, agreed with Madavi, adding that tribal communities living close to forests and rivers are especially vulnerable to the vector-borne disease. “Their forest-dependent lifestyles, minimal clothing, and the lack of basic sanitation infrastructure increase their exposure to the disease,” she explained.

Social activist and former Zila Parishad member Dr Lalsu Nagoti concurred. “We must go beyond health centres and mosquito nets,” he said. “Clean ponds, mosquito predators like guppies and frogs, and timely training for villagers to adapt to climate shifts are all crucial.”

There is also a pressing need to raise awareness about the seriousness of malaria and the importance of timely treatment. Pedapalliwar said low literacy levels and deeply rooted traditional beliefs affect the health-seeking behaviour in the region. “Some villagers tend to delay seeking formal medical treatment or rely on home remedies first,” she added.

Nagesh Madeshi from the Hope Foundation, an NGO said superstitions and language barriers obstruct early diagnosis and treatment. “At least 40% of people still turn to witch doctors as their first point of contact,” he said. “Language is another major hurdle. When doctors from outside are posted at local health centres but don’t speak tribal languages like Gondi or Madia, they are not able to explain just how dangerous malaria is.”

According to experts, healthcare access is also hampered by national policies that do not account for Gadchiroli’s sparse and forested geography. Dr Abhay Bang, a public health expert and the Founder and Director of Society for Education, Action and Research in Community Health (SEARCH) said, “We definitely need flexible criteria for PHCs in tribal areas, more mobile medical units, and stronger networks of health workers in remote villages.”

A plan in place

These are universal concerns across many remote villages in Gadchiroli — a district the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare identifies as one of the six most malaria-affected in the country.

In a step toward eliminating the disease, the Maharashtra government launched a district-wide malaria eradication plan on April 1, 2025. The initiative, backed by Rs 25 crore from the Tribal Development Department, was announced in the Legislative Assembly by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis earlier this year. Developed by a Special Task Force led by Dr Bang, the three-year plan aims to bring malaria cases in Gadchiroli down to zero.

The plan includes distributing insecticide-treated mosquito nets, regular spraying in high-risk areas, immediate blood testing for anyone with fever, and health communication in tribal languages. Emphasis has also been placed on a time-bound, tightly monitored rollout, with the hope that the most vulnerable will no longer fall through the cracks of an overburdened rural health system.

Sanjana Khandare is a freelance journalist and a member of 101Reporters, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters.