Patalkot's water woes: Contaminated water haunts tribal villages

Patalkot's water woes: Contaminated water haunts tribal villages

In Madhya Pradesh's Patalkot Valley, a tribal village nestled 1,200 to 1,500 feet deep beneath a lush, emerald-green canopy of hills, Gulvati Uikey reflects on the loss of her mother during the monsoons of 2024. She blames her mother’s illness and eventual death for consuming contaminated water. Patalkot, often hailed as a 'monsoon travel hotspot,' is home to the Bharias, a tribe classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG).  Desp…