KENDRAPARA: The Kendrapara administration’s efforts to convince villagers of Nuagaon under Rajnagar block to end the boycott of the local anganwadi over appointment of a dalit cook failed to yield any result on Wednesday.
Acting on the directions of collector Raghuram R Iyer, sub-collector Arun Nayak, Rajnagar tehsildar Jisukrishna Das, district welfare officer (DWO) Arabinda Ray and other officials visited Nuagaon under Ghadiamala panchayat to resolve the issue. However, villagers reportedly refused to attend the meeting. “Only the ward member, sarpanch and two villagers were present, making the chances of a breakthrough slim,” said child development project officer of Rajnagar Dipali Mishra.
“Villagers did not attend the meeting as they do not consume food cooked by dalits. No one wants to break this age-old custom. If the administration forces our children and women to eat such food, it may lead to unrest. The administration should appoint a cook from the upper caste to resolve the issue,” said a villager on condition of anonymity.
Sources said most villagers preferred to remain silent on the issue. Several educated residents and members of the dalit community are also reluctant to speak. Villagers maintained that nothing unusual has occurred, despite children and women staying away from the anganwadi centre for nearly three months.
The riverside village of Nuagaon has around 45 families, including seven dalit households. Ghadimala sarpanch Sailendra Mishra said, “We urged the village leaders to send children to the anganwadi centre, but they ignored our appeals.”
He added that pregnant women have also stopped visiting the centre, depriving themselves of services such as supplementary nutrition, health check-ups, iron-folic acid supplements, immunisation and health education.
Contacted, collector Iyer said, “The sub-collector has been directed to submit a report after visiting the village. Necessary action will be taken once the report is received.”
President of the district unit of Dalit Samaj Nagen Jena alleged that the actions of the villagers violate fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14, 19 and 21. “Dalits often face discrimination in temples, but here children and women are being kept away from welfare services. We expect the police and administration to take firm steps,” he said.
The anganwadi centre at Nuagaon has reportedly not been functioning since 23-year-old Sarmista Sethi was appointed as a helper-cum-cook at the facility on November 24 last year. Soon after her appointment, the village committee allegedly decided to boycott the centre in protest and stopped sending their kids to the facility as Sethi belongs to the dalit community. Even pregnant and lactating women have refused to visit the centre since then.