BHUBANESWAR: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has served a notice on Odisha Government asking it to file a detailed report on measures taken to prevent malnutrition among residents of Nagada in Jajpur district. The apex human rights panel has asked the Chief Secretary to submit the report by November 11.
The Commission in its order also warned coercive action under Section 13 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 for personal appearance of the authority concerned if the report is not submitted within the stipulated time.
At least 19 children of Juang tribe had died in Nagada village under Sukinda block of Jajpur district in July 2016. The children were reportedly suffering from malnourishment. The district administration had swung into action following media reports.
The petitioner alleged both State Government and the Centre have failed to make any difference on the ground as children of the village still continue to struggle to get nutritious food. Even as the local administration claims to have taken several measures for improvement of the residents in Nagada, petitioner Akhand alleged that the children are still malnourished due to food insecurity and the tribal residents are impoverished.
“Only rice and dal or rice and salt constitute their staple food despite huge intervention and investment by the State Government. Development in the form of infrastructure like road construction, supply of electricity, construction of building will no way help strengthen their food security and ensure their livelihood,” the petition stated.
Although `88 lakh has been sanctioned under MGNREGA to provide employment to people in the last three three years, only `4 lakh has been spent. A Biju Gaon Gaadi bus which was plying from Sukinda to Nagada, has been stopped after few months. The residents are paying `80 for auto fare to avail 25 kg of rice at `25 from panchayat office.
“This apart, ensuring portable safe drinking water to Nagada is a big failure. The project is defunct as water tanks are lying abandoned. This is complete wastage of money,” the petitioner added.