Now, take a bus to Nagada

The district administration on Friday launched bus service to Nagada, the tribal-dominated village of Sukinda block which hit international headlines following a series of malnutrition deaths in a spa
Now, take a bus to Nagada

JAJPUR:The district administration on Friday launched bus service to Nagada, the tribal-dominated village of Sukinda block which hit international headlines following a series of malnutrition deaths in a span of three months last year.

Sukinda MLA Priti Ranjan Ghadai flagged off the daily bus service to Nagada, the hill top village in Danagadi. The private bus will ply between Chandikhol and Nagada via Sukinda and Kalinga Nagar Industrial complex area.

‘’A motorable road has been constructed to the village to improve communication to Nagada. Tribals residing in the village will be benefited by the bus service,’’ said Ghadai.
He said bus service to Nagada, which remained inaccessible till a couple of months back, is a temporary arrangement. The administration is also planning to introduce a new bus and include a new route after examining the convenience of the tribal villagers, the MLA added.

As per reports, though construction of road was completed six months back, there was no public transport service available to reach Nagada and other remote areas nearby. The bus will to start operation at 6 am from Chandikhol and reach Nagada at 12 noon via Jajpur Road, Kalinga Nagar, Sukinda, Kaliapani, the district officials said.Jajpur Collector Ranjan Kumar Das said, “This is a private bus service and on payment basis. Passengers will have to pay fare as per the Government tariff.”

Nagada, consisting of three hamlets, houses the primitive Juanga tribals. Following deaths of 19 children due to malnutrition last year, senior officials from the Centre and State Government had visited Nagada and directed the district administration to take necessary steps for development of the village.
Since then, the State Government has launched several welfare schemes for the tribal villagers to improve their living condition. However, all the initiatives proved meaningless after the death of three children in as many months this year due to malnourishment. Moreover, a dozen of children in Nagada are suffering from acute malnourishment.

Boy admitted to Sishu Bhawan

Cuttack: Manguli Pradhan, a villager of Nagada, admitted his  malnourished son to Sishu Bhawan in Cuttack on Friday. Manguli and his wife brought their two sons to the hospital in the evening and the younger boy, who is one-and-half-year old, was admitted to the nutrition rehabilitation centre of the hospital. He is suffering from acute malnourishment. A team of doctors have started treating the ailing infant, informed Sishu Bhawan administrative officer Lingaraj Behera.

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