ODISHA: Alleging that more than 300 adivasi children have died in Malkangiri district of Odisha in the last two months due to malnutrition and outbreak of seasonal diseases, Malkangiri Solidarity Network organiser Mrityunjay on Monday demanded the Odisha government to constitute a medical team to be sent to Malkangiri to provide necessary treatment.
Protesting against Odisha government’s callous attitude in providing basic facilities in tribal localities, the Malkangiri Solidarity Network members staged dharnas at various places across the country including city. The Network members staged a dharna at Indira Park in an attempt to send a strong message to the Odisha and and the Central governments regarding the issue.
Addressing the gathering, Mrityunjay said two or three Adivasi children are dying every day due to malnutrition and outbreak of seasonal diseases. Some deaths have been attributed to Japanese Elephantiases of which there was an outbreak in Malkangiri in 2011 and 2012 as well. Alleging that the deaths of tribal children is nothing but a genocide by the Odisha government, Vijay Nag, another member said the future generation of Adivasis are being wiped out silently through sheer criminal negligence of the government.
“The government must constitute a committee to find out the reasons behind the outbreak of diseases and large number of deaths being reported every year from Malkangiri. Appoint an expert team to study the implementation of food security Act and sanitation,” he demanded.