Mr. Nilesh Sambare swore to a hunger strike fighting against justice for the victims in Palghar

The messiah to the poor and underprivileged announced fasting to death in front of the Collector’s office in Palghar

February 28, 2023, Mumbai: Jijau Sanghatna’s President, Shri Nilesh Bhagwan Sambare, has started a hunger strike to get righteousness for the project-affected farmers in the Palghar district. Numerous bureaucrats, associates, workers, and residents of Palghar attended this hunger strike. Thousands of residents of the Palghar district participated in this hunger strike. Thousands of citizens met Nilesh Sambare personally about the consent the Palghar residents were getting.

Most of the tribal and secluded hilly areas of the Palghar district have been built over the past 45 years till date; many dams have been constructed through tribal remedial measurements. Taking advantage of the ignorance of the tribal brothers, projects are imposed in an authoritarian manner. Also, although the project is incomplete, the documents show that it’s completed, and the contractor and officials of the irrigation department committed corruption of hundreds of crores of rupees. Today, 45 years after the dam’s completion, many issues of the tribal community are pending, and thousands of families have been destroyed. Because they were poor tribals, justice reached only till the rich ones, even after holding repeated meetings and protests.

The Jijau Sanghatna and Jijau Sanstha help the underprivileged in education, health, employment, agriculture, and women empowerment to uplift the disadvantaged communities in 5 districts, namely Palghar, Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg. Jijau since 2008, has made a lot of amendments and provisions, creating happier and self-sustainable livelihoods. Jijau has worked for 14 years on financial self-sufficiency in a social service organization. The aim is not to let anyone die hungry because of food, education, unemployment or poverty.

Palghar district was created in 2014 for the welfare of tribals. But in reality, the administration is showing extreme indifference regarding the health, education, employment, electricity, water and problems of the project victims of the tribal brothers. Significant demands for justice rights of Palgharkars –
Despite completing the Surya – Dhamani Dam – 45 years ago, many questions about the project victims are pending. The work of the Kavadas Unaiti Dam should be halted until all the problems are resolved. Also, the work of the incomplete and undamaged canal should be completed.

Even though Lendi and Khadkhad Dam, Wagh Project, Tulachapada, Pimpurna and Dhasai were built many years ago in the tribal areas of Palghar district, many issues of project victims are pending. The construction of the dam and canal should be completed. After spending thousands of crores of rupees, even a single hectare of agriculture is not provided water; there should be a thorough investigation as to whom these dams are built for?

As per the resolution of Deharje Dam – Pesa Gram Sabha, the work of the dam should be cancelled, and even if the dam is constructed, the work should be stopped until the farmers affected by the project get justice as per the rules of the government. Vikramgad taluka should be given water to agriculture through left and right canals per the central dam policy.

Even though it has been 45 years since there was a dam at Kavdas, the question of the project victims has been kept aside for what purpose the new dam has been taken up. Somebody should thoroughly investigate. There is a large amount of leakage from the Domhira dam, and the grouting work is going to spending 15 crores for that and the government money has been wasted due to the lack of water transfer in the dam.
The work of the Wagh Dam canal has significantly been increased, the old tenders have been cancelled, and new tenders have been floated for a significant amount.

By selling water from Kavdas Dam, MMRDA has done injustice to the farmers. Was it necessary to build Kavdas Dam when there was Surya Dam? Instead of using water from Surya Dam, a huge amount of money was given by MMRDA to increase irrigation, but the money was used for other purposes. The old dam in the Palghar district is mainly in disrepair, and there is also a large amount of leakage; without repairing it, spending is being spent on a new dam, and the lives of the local people are being played with.

It has been many years since the construction of the Surya Dam, and still, the work of the canal needs to be completed so irrigation cannot be done. Nilesh Sambare of the Jijau organization has presented these demands.

Therefore, Shri Nilesh Bhagwan Sambare, President of the Jijau Sanghatana, has started this hunger strike to get justice for the problems of the people and the project victims in Palghar.