JAJPUR: The BJP on Thursday alleged that there has been no change in the quality of life of Juanga tribe in Nagada village even a year after the death of 21 children due to malnutrition that hogged international headlines.
A BJP team, led by former chief minister Giridhar Gamang, visited Nagada on the day. Addressing the media, Gamang said, “Despite the State Government’s tall claims of taking a host of measures for holistic development of Nagada, hunger and malnutrition still prevail in Juanga tribe of the village.’’
He said the tribal villagers continue to live in miserable and unhygienic condition. In some households, humans and domestic animals share the rooms.
“The tribals are consuming contaminated water while rice and salt continue to be their staple diet,” he said and added that health services continue to elude them.
Last year, a BJP team had visited Nagada after malnutrition deaths in the village sparked outrage in the country. The issue was widely covered in media.
BJP’s district unit president Asutosh Parida said, ‘’Our team had to trek to the hill top village to assess the situation last year as there was no motorable road. This year, we reached Nagada in a four-wheeler.”
During the year, only a motorable road has been constructed and that too because of the DMF funds provided by the Central Government, said Parida, who was part of the BJP team.
Parida further said the ruling BJD members tried to prevent the BJP team near Sukinda and Kaliapani areas from visiting Nagada. “Some BJD activists intercepted us on our way to Nagada. Our partymen also confronted them which resulted in a face-off. Local police reached the spot, chased away the BJD workers and facilitated our journey,” he added.
BJD workers attacked our team: BJP
Bhubaneswar: The State BJP on Thursday alleged that a delegation of the party, led by former chief minister Giridhar Gamang, was attacked by ruling BJD workers during a visit to Nagada village for an on the spot assessment on children’s death due to malnutrition. BJP’s State unit vice-president Sameer Mohanty claimed that the party delegation faced resistance from BJD supporters at two points - Sukinda and Kaliapani - on its way to Nagada, which hogged the headlines after the death of more than 20 children due to malnutrition. The ruling party supporters prevented the BJP delegation from visiting the village. Mohanty said the BJP team decided to visit the area after the death of two-year-old girl Manasi. The girl was stated to be the latest victim of malnutrition. Local BJD leaders shouted ‘’BJP go back’’ and did not allow vehicles carrying the BJP delegation to proceed ahead by blocking the road, he said. Condemning the incident, Mohanty said the Government should clarify why the BJP team was not allowed to visit Nagada when Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is reviewing the Nagada situation frequently and officials are claiming that the situation has changed.