BERHAMPUR: Negligence by the local administration and lack of follow-up action by the state government led to the death of two tribal women in Mandipanka village of Kandhamal district, alleged CPM leaders on Tuesday.
Addressing a protest meeting held at the RDC (South) office here, CPM’s Ganjam district secretary Judhistir Behera said the two women died and another six fell ill after consuming mango kernel gruel within five months of the double-engine government of the BJP assuming power in the state. “Such an incident was repeated in Odisha after 23 years and the state government is responsible for it,” he alleged.
Senior CPM leader Kailash Sadangi said as the tribals had not received their PDS rice quota for the last three months, they were compelled to consume the gruel in absence of food grain. He urged the state government to initiate necessary measures to ensure that such incidents do not occur in future.
The CPM leaders also submitted a six-point charter of demands to the RDC. In the memorandum, they demanded criminal proceedings against officials who violated the guidelines of National Food Security Act, compensation of Rs 20 lakh each to the kin of deceased women, Rs 5 lakh assistance and advanced medical treatment for the six affected persons and supply of Rs 10 kg rice per head per month among others.
Earlier in the day, members of the district CPM unit took out a procession and reached the RDC office where they staged a dharna.