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Slams Maharashtra's : 228 Students Walk 30 Km Through Tiger Reserve
A Walk Through Danger: 228 Students at Risk Daily
Each morning, scores of schoolchildren in the region set out on a treacherous journey: walking up to 30 kilometres through forest corridors frequented by tigers, leopards, and Indian gaurs. For many, the round trip consumes four hours—time spent not learning, but navigating an active hunting ground. This harrowing reality prompted the to issue strong directives on , ordering authorities to identify schools vulnerable to wildlife attacks and deploy safe transport escorted by . Yet, when the matter came up for hearing on August 19, the bench of Justice Sharmila Deshmukh and Justice Neeraj Dhote found that absolutely nothing had been done .
'': Court Slams Authorities for Ignoring Orders
The court did not mince words.
"Despite the order having been passed on 2nd April 2026, absolutely nothing has been done by the
and the
to identify the dangerous schools or to deploy safe school transport for the school children escorted by a dedicated RRT,"
the bench recorded. An additional affidavit from the petitioner revealed that 228 students from eight villages in Sangli district travel to five schools, facing continuous exposure to wildlife attacks. The maximum distance travelled by a child is 30 kilometres for sixth standard, with no transport facility available.
"The apathy of the
is appalling. There is absolutely no concern for the safety of the children as not even the minimum transport facilities are made available for the students,"
the judges observed.
A Crisis with a Human Cost
The danger is not hypothetical. Since 2014, the STR area—home to five tigers, around 50 leopards, and over 100 Indian gaurs—has recorded 30 wildlife attacks, resulting in five deaths, including two schoolchildren. Five attacks were reported in 2025 alone, and two fatalities have occurred since the April order, underscoring the urgency. The petitioner, Harish Kamble, also highlighted that fear of attacks has left over 1,000 acres of fertile farmland uncultivated and exposed more than 500 students to daily risks.
In a letter to the court, the headmaster of Hutatma Nanak Singh Secondary and Higher Secondary School in Sonawade detailed the challenges students face because of the persistent human-wildlife conflict.
Statutory Obligations Ignored: RTE Rules and
The court's April order was grounded in clear legal mandates. imposes a on the state to secure children's access to schools. Additionally, , read with , places a on the government: to protect wildlife, and to protect citizens from that wildlife. The failure to deploy a single Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance at the Shittur-Warun primary centre, as directed, was a further breach of these duties.
"We cannot countenance such a conduct on behalf of the
and the
,"
the bench declared, noting that no
had been filed by either the
or the
.
Court Warns of Serious Consequences
The bench directed the
and the
to file affidavits within one week, submitting an explanation for the
.
"We make it clear that if we are not satisfied with the explanation, we will be constrained to take a very serious view of the matter,"
the court warned. The matter has been placed for further hearing on
.
The Human Face of the Verdict
Beyond the legal rebuke, the order shines a spotlight on the daily ordeal of children like the 11-year-old walking 30 kilometres through tiger territory simply to attend sixth grade. The court's intervention demands not just compliance, but a fundamental rethinking of how the state balances wildlife conservation with the safety of its most vulnerable citizens. As the August 25 deadline approaches, all eyes are on the authorities to show whether they will treat the safety of 228 children with the urgency it deserves.
