Neral activist begins hunger strike over civic issues, gains wide support

Social and human rights activist Gorakh Shep has begun a hunger strike in Neral, Raigad district's largest gram panchayat, over civic issues. The strike, launched over village problems, is getting strong support from local villagers, social organisations and political parties.

Gorakh Shep began his planned hunger strike at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk in Neral village. Representatives of the Shiv Sena Shinde faction, the Shiv Sena Thackeray faction and the Neral Traders Association were present on the occasion. Zilla Parishad member Sunita More and Panchayat Samiti member Bhagwan Chanche, along with leaders of all political parties, later arrived at the protest site. Shiv Sena Shinde leader Prabhakar Deshmukh, Thackeray party leader Bandu Kshirsagar, Yuva Sena's Prathamesh More, former sarpanch Ayub Tamboli, and villagers from Mohachi Wadi also gathered in large numbers.

Explaining Neral village's problems, Gorakh Shep said there is no water in the village and it does not reach several areas at all. With urbanisation increasing, a demand was also raised for the three gram panchayats of Neral, Kolhare and Mamdapur to be made a municipal council. According to him, Neral village's population has reached close to one lakh, but the village has no fire brigade. A trading complex was built to clear footpaths and the road of encroachments, but it has never been opened till date, which is why the road has not been cleared.

The Jal Jeevan Mission was implemented to prevent water shortage in the village, but despite work being under way since 2024, its pace has been very slow. Even so, 40 percent of the bill has already been paid. The question of what work this bill was paid for will be raised during the hunger strike.

Encroachments have also increased within the limits of Neral gram panchayat, but the panchayat administration has not stopped them. The main demands raised include removing roadside encroachments on the stretch from Neral Vidya Mandir to the petrol pump on the Public Works Department's Kalyan-Karjat road, and resolving the issue of forest land present on this road.

A solid waste management project was built in Neral gram panchayat at a cost of two crore rupees, but the machinery installed there now lies shut. Garbage is being dumped 600 to 700 metres from the project site. The person on hunger strike has alleged that garbage is being brought in from outside and dumped there as well, and that garbage generated within the gram panchayat is not being processed at all.

Of the five and a half acres of land reserved for the solid waste project, two acres have been encroached upon, but no action has been taken by the gram panchayat. A demand was therefore raised for a government audit of all the works, to be conducted in the presence of villagers. It was also alleged that works under the 15th Finance Commission were not carried out, but bills were still drawn. Because of this, discrepancies are visible between tap connections and house tax records. Irregularities in water tax collection were also alleged, and a probe into this was demanded.