Bombay HC Takes Cognisance Of Aurangabad Village Children Crossing Backwaters On Thermocol Rafts, Warding Off Snakes To Reach School

Last week the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court took suo motu cognisance of around 15 children from a village in Aurangabad rowing thermocol rafts with makeshift oars to cross one of Maharashtra’s largest dams and reach school.

A division bench of Justice Ravindra Ghuge and YG Khobragade took cognisance of a news report published on the front page of Times of India’s Aurangabad edition titled, "Kids row thermocol rafts with makeshift oars to cross Jayakwadi backwaters, attend school".

“We are converting the said news item in a Suo Motu PIL. We deem it appropriate to appoint the learned Advocate Mr.Pushkar Shendurnikar to prepare a PIL petition in view of the Bombay High Court PIL Rules, 2010 and present the same on 04.09.2023 in this Court. He is at liberty to contact the reporter, who has reported the said news.”

The news item mentioned that a girl named Prajakta Kale, barely 11 years old, made a daring journey, every day, across the backwaters of Jaikwadi, one of Maharashtra's largest dams, to reach her school. She is not alone and 15 children from the Bhiw Dhanora village of Aurangabad district, sit on a thick thermocol sheet and use makeshift oars to cross the kilometre-long stretch of the backwaters of the dam to go to school, according to the news item.

It quotes Prajakta saying that they carry bamboo sticks or makeshift oars to fend off water snakes that climb on the thermocol sheet as they navigate their way.

“The news item indicates that the situation has remained the same for 47 years ever since the dam was made,” the court noted.

The publication further quoted Kale’s father saying he didn’t want his children to remain illiterate like him and wanted them to learn at school. However, the journey becomes daunting due to the presence of venomous snakes in the water.

Click Here To Read/Download Order