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DEVELOPMENT: STARVATION DEATHS
An Alarming Death Rate
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BREEDING DESPAIR: Inaccessible health centres (above) and unimplemented
benefit schemes have hit tribal children the worst
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According
to the district Health Department, such cases are on the rise, with the
infant death rate varying between 42 and 49 every month. Of the 933 villages
in the district, over 70 in Akkalkua and Dhadgoan are severally affected.
Worse, 49 villages are inaccessible by road.
Ironically, most deaths have occurred in areas
that have received the special attention of successive governments. About
Rs 100 crore has been spent under various tribal schemes, including the
Integrated Child Development Scheme that aims at providing basic healthcare
and nutrition to children under six years of age, pregnant women and lactating
mothers through anganwadis.
However, a visit to the Khamla anganwadi revealed
that the stock of medicines and foodgrain for 112 children had not been
replenished for the past two months. Says Shakuntala Omkar Patlai who
runs the centre: "We have sent many reminders but in vain. We could
have saved several lives if the administration had not taken two months
to pass a tender." The state Government has recently cleared the
tender for supplying foodgrain to the 933 villages from May 15. The situation
was similar at the fair-price shops in Dhadgoan and Akkalkua villages.
Says Suman Divlya Valvi, sarpanch of Ghatli village: "We are tired
of complaining about the non-availability of foodgrain in the ration shops.
Ministerial and VIP visits have got us nothing but promises."
Every time a vehicle enters these villages,
it brings hope: of food, medicines and work opportunities. Says Magti
Kotya, mother of four malnutritioned children: "We are always living
on the edge, between life and death. So far we have survived on hope and
promises but cannot take it any longer. It's unbearable." Unbearable
it is, what with poverty, unemployment lack of food and drinking water
and poor healthcare. And yet, the concept of birth control is sadly lacking
among the tribals. Social worker Kantilal Tantia says, "The villagers
in Nandurbar are completely at the mercy of nature; drought, poverty,
unemployment and apathy of the civilised world dictate their lives."
The state Government does provide about 2,5000
tonnes of grain and Rs 25 crore worth of employment projects since October
last year. There's also over 200 million tonnes of grain in Food Corporation
of India godowns, but the children continue to die of malnutrition. Eknath
Khadse, former irrigation minister and a BJP leader, alleges that most
of the government schemes are only on paper. "The real beneficiaries
are deprived because of the widespread corrupt and inefficient administration.
The public distribution system, a veritable lifeline in these inaccessible
areas, doesn't exist on the map. Receiving healthcare is a nightmare."
Khadse's allegations are not without basis.
In December last year, the licenses of six shopkeepers in the area were
revoked after the villagers complained of a ration racket. The shopkeepers
were caught when six truckloads of foodgrain meant for Nandurbar tribals
were seized near the Gujarat border. In another case, over 250 tonnes
of foodgrain was sold to a couple of flour mills in Gujarat.
Though District Collector Aseem Gupta lodged
a criminal complaint and subsequently, the state Government ordered a
cid inquiry into the ration racket, no action has been taken even after
five months. Besides, no time frame has been specified for submitting
the report. Asserts Gupta: "We are taking all possible corrective
measures to rectify administrative as well as social and economical situations."
However, most of the 364 Adivasi benefit schemes and 250 projects under
the employment guarantee schemes (EGS) remain on paper. A visit to the
worst-affected Dhadgoan revealed that no work was underway on any of the
250 projects cited by Gupta under the EGS.
Ironically, the affected villages are a part
of the state that has a per capita income of Rs 23,398, the second highest
in the country. Explains District Guardian Minister Bala Shiverakar: "The
problem boils down to access and the vast distances between the villages.
Social conditioning does not allow closer cohabitation and the distances
result in poor access to the medical centres."
All the state governments in the past have been
inclined to adopt a short-term approach as opposed to the long-term integrated
solution that's actually called upon. After the chief minister's visit
though, the Government has decided to take corrective measures, including
ensuring the proper implementation of projects under the EGS schemes with
immediate effect. It also plans to revive some long-term tribal welfare
schemes.
For now, though, every minister who visits the
area following the deaths of tribal children, promises action in response
to the flood of complaints-inaccessibility of fair-price shops, non-availability
of foodgrain and inadequate work opportunities. The villagers can do little
but wait. And hope. However, till the Government ensures that its schemes
work and the benefits reach the 33,000 families children will continue
to die.
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