By Shishir Roy Chowdhury
Raipur/Sarguja, Dec 29 (UNI) A dispute over the construction of an anganwadi building on an ancestral land in Chhattisgarh’s Surguja district has escalated into a grave humanitarian and governance crisis after an elderly tribal woman sought permission for euthanasia, alleging sustained pressure from the administrative machinery and local power structures.
The episode has raised troubling questions about administrative sensitivity, political accountability and the protection of tribal land rights.
The tribal woman, Kevalabai, resident of Bataikela village under Batouli block, has approached the district administration stating that an anganwadi is being constructed on her ancestral land without her consent.
The land, recorded in revenue documents dating back to 1927–28 in the name of her grandfather Chhola (community- Chik/Chikb), measures less than one acre and is listed under khasra number 1784.
Kevalabai, widowed more than three decades ago, depends on this land for survival while heading a 12-member family that includes four persons with severe disabilities – two visually impaired children, one physically disabled member and another with mental health challenges.
In her application to the district collector, Kevalabai pleaded that even if the land is treated as government land, it remains her only means of livelihood. She requested that the anganwadi be relocated elsewhere, failing which she sought permission for euthanasia for herself and her family.
Surguja Collector Ajit Vasant confirmed that construction work has been halted. “Orders have been issued to stop the anganwadi construction. The matter is under examination, and no further decision has been taken yet,” he said.
The issue has divided opinion locally. Sitapur MLA Ramkumar Toppo said an anganwadi centre earlier existed at the same site and had become dilapidated. “A new building requires a larger area. While the land belongs to Kevalabai’s lineage, it is incorrect to claim that it is her primary livelihood land. Notices will be issued to all encroachers on government land, not selectively,” he said.
Tribal organisations have rejected this argument. Anita Paikra, a leader of the Sarva Adivasi Samaj, said Kevalabai’s illiteracy and poverty prevented her from completing evolving revenue formalities over decades. “Large illegal encroachments of 20–25 acres exist in the area, yet action is directed at a woman holding less than an acre. This reflects systemic bias,” she alleged.
Sarva Adivasi Samaj district president Amrit Savitri Maravi said a previous collector had explicitly ordered that no anganwadi be built on Kevalabai’s land, but construction resumed following the officer’s transfer. “The tribal community is standing firmly with her in this fight for dignity and survival,” she said.
The controversy has intensified after the detention of local social media influencer Akanksha Toppo, who posted videos criticising the administration and political leadership. She was detained by Sitapur police on December 26 and released on bond.
In subsequent videos, she alleged that any harm to Kevalabai would be the responsibility of Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Rajwade and MLA Ramkumar Toppo. The MLA responded that criticism was acceptable but objected to the use of abusive language, stating that he had not lodged any complaint and that the police act independently.
The case has drawn widespread attention in the state, with lawyers, journalists, civil society members and former constitutional authorities expressing concern on social media.
As the administration reviews the matter, the Surguja incident has come to symbolise a deeper conflict between development imperatives and the rights of vulnerable tribal citizens, underscoring the urgent need for humane governance, procedural fairness and sensitivity at the grassroots.
