Two tribals named Ranjan Majhi (14) and Narasingha Majhi (60) belonging to Sipijodi village in Talajhiri gram panchayat under Kashipur block died after consumption of porridge made out of mango kernel.
Eight others, namely Harpil Majhi(45), Kunuji Majhi(30), Chandan Majhi(5), Manidei Majhi(35), Jayanti Majhi(19), laxmi Majhi(15), Sitai Majhi(50), Phulamati Majhi(6) and Bapindra Majhi(4) are in serious condition and under treatment in Kashipur CHC. It is said that this has happened due to non-availability of sufficient rice under Public Distribution System (PDS).
But, as usual, Additional District Magistrate laxmikanta Behera has refuted the news and said that the PDS rice has been given in time and the exact reasons of the death can be ascertained after doctors’ assessment.
During 2001, there was a hue and cry when more than 100 people died due to starvation, but the then Collector Bishnupada Sethi did not admit it to be starvation death. In fact, it was then stated to be a health problem.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik visited the area and was manhandled by public who hurled porridge made out of mango kernel at him. The Union Food Minister also paid a visit. The question then sprang up is why Food Minister instead of Health Minister visiting the area when it is a health problem. However, amidst all these, the ultimate sufferers were the poor tribal and Dalit people of the Kashipur, which is known as a valley of death.
Then again during 2007, around 270 people died in the rainy season and most of the deceased were women and children. According to the visiting doctors, the deaths had occurred due to eating of rotten beef and fermented food stuff kept for days together. But the eye witnesses described this to be the same old story getting repeated.
Now the rainy season is on and there is no work in spite of the much hyped MGNREGA. Due to paucity of cash, people could not buy food items and had to eat mango kernel, wild roots, tubers and “karadi” leaves. The porridge stored over days just fills the belly leading to several gastro diseases.
“Jhodia Paraja tribals do not eat beef. So question of dath due to beef consumption does not arise,” said former Sarpanch of Maikanch panchayat Dudheswar Jhodia. Nabin Nayak, a Dalit leader from Khurigaon said, “The reasons of deaths are exactly the same as that of 2001. If we have the opportunity of availing sufficient food stuff like rice and ragi, why should we revert to wild foodIJ There is no choice. Sometime it is told as hunger deaths and some other time gastro deaths. We are certainly perplexed.”
Though the official figure of death toll was 52, according to Nayak, a Dalit youth from Kashipur who surveyed the area put it at over 270.
Kashipur was a part of erstwhile Kalahandi district, famous for perennial draught in spite of abundant rains and also for child sale. Thousands of families migrate to nearest towns. One can behold hundreds of colonized temporary huts in Rayagada town inhabited by Dalits and tribals from Kashipur. Jhodia tribe people still struggle for a tribal status. The International Fund for Agriculture Development[IFAD], a wing of Food and Agriculture Organisation [FAO] dumped more than Rs 67 crore through ITDA for development of the area after a visit by the then Prime Minister late Rajiv Gandhi in 1986. There are three mega industrial projects such as UAIl, l&T and Hindalco, which have started their operation for extractive bauxite mining. Rs 27 crore has come to the district under OREGS out of which a major chunk has gone to Kashipur. According to Sibaram Naik, a local community based social activist from Kashipur, most of the job card holders under NREGA are yet to be given jobs. His observation is synonymous with the findings of the Delhi based NGO CEFS which says that around Rs 500 crore has been siphoned off out of Rs 733 crore sanctioned for Odisha during 2006-07.
Kashipur block has 414 villages and around 200 hamlets, but several tubewells are either defunct or their water has excess iron. Hence, out of compulsion, people use stream water for drinking water purpose.
Sadan Majhi, a highly qualified tribal youth from Dongasil area, said, “Who says tribals prefer stream water to the tube well waterIJ If something bad happens, the Government says tribals are responsible. If something good happens, they take the credit. We are all aware that after 69 years of independence, the Government is not able to provide basic amenities like safe drinking water to tribals. How can we attain Millennium Development Goals [MDGs] if we move at this pace as far as tribals are concerned.”
During 2007 deaths, Chief Minister Patnaik along with several leaders and officers made a beeline to Talajhiri village. And, just after a decade, there is a recurrence of deaths in the same panchayat due to the same reasons. Now, while the same leaders are engrossed with issues like Mahanadi politicization, Nagada and Dana Majhi episodes, the delivery mechanism in tribal pockets has fallen flat.