MALKANGIRI (ORISSA): In the past month officials have recorded 16 starvation deaths in this area while an unofficial estimate puts the figure at 40.
The typical ordeal is brought out by the case of Modigangi and her 25-year-old married daughter Madakamirami of Muranapalli in Kalimila block of this district for both of whom death was a long drawn process. They had nothing to cat but wild roots for two months before they succumbed at last.
The search for a handful of rice brought them to Chupulur about 10 km from their village. After staying overnight to procure half a-kilogram of rice they started for home but collapsed on the way and died. Months of abysmally low nourishment had taken its toll.
Sadigangi another 25-year-old woman of the same village also died on the same day under similar circumstances.
As the deceased were all tribals who spoke nothing besides the Koya dialect the village sarpanch took the initiative and informed the block medical officials But to date no investigation had been conducted No autopsy was conducted on the bodies either to determine the cause of the death.
When contacted the block development officer admitted conditions of extreme poverty among the villagers but pleaded helplessness as the Government had not released any funds under the Jawahan Rojgar Yojana to provide gainful employment for the villagers.
A visit to the village Muranapal under Girakanapalli gram panchayat reveals that almost the entire population of about 400 in the village is living on wild roots for want of better food. The villagers collect the roots from the nearby woods chop and wash them in running water for about 24 hours to remove their toxicity. And only then do the roots become fit for consumption according to the villagers.
Apart from paucity of funds the block development officer has also to contend with lack of adequate staff. The post of the CDPO (child development project officer) and the sub-treasury officer have been lying vacant for a long time he said.
The nutrition program with central funding is yet to be started due to lack of food supplies.
The situation in the block hospital was not very bright either. When this reporter visited the hospital it was practically unmanned but for the pharmacist who said no records were kept of any starvation deaths. He said however that a few cases of deaths due to malaria and food poisoning were registered as per the CDMOs instructions.
Gaganadhal the district magistrate when contacted said 10 free kitchens were recently started at different villages including Muranapalli and added that some more would be opened shortly. However he said there were no funds to start any labor-intensive works to employ the tribals.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 6, 1992
