A day after the Orissa High Court asked the Central and State Governments to file their counters within a week to the PIl pertaining to the death of 19 infants within three months at Nagada village in Jajpur district allegedly due to malnutrition, the taskforce set up by the State Government reviewed the situation of Nagada here on Wednesday.
Headed by Central Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) AB Ota, the taskforce held its first review meeting after it was set up in July.
Ota told reporters that at least 115 families of the tribal village have been provided with solar lights and fans, and steps are being taken in a war footing manner to supply electricity to the village located on a hilltop in the mineral-rich Sukinda block.
The RDC further disclosed that an approach road to the village is under construction. “About 1.5 km of it has already been laid and the remaining four km would be completed by March 2017,” he said.
Stating that about 35 welfare schemes of both Union and State Governments are currently being implemented for tribal areas, the PIl filed in the HC by a voluntary organisation has alleged that the people of Nagada are deprived of even basic amenities like drinking water, roads, health, education and electricity leading to infant deaths due to malnutrition.
Amid criticisms from various quarters, the State Government set up the taskforce to ensure that such incidences do not occur in future.