Noted social activist and lok Shakti Abhiyan president Prafulla Samantara on Saturday urged the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to rescue people belonging to the Mankadia tribe from the Government’s apathy.
“Over 100 families of Mankadia tribes have been living in Kalringota village under Jajpur district’s Sukinda block for more than two decades. But they are living in extremely bad and inhuman conditions as they have been denied most of the Government welfare measures,” Samantara said this in a letter addressed to the NHRC. He informed the Commission that he visited the village under Ransol gram panchayat recently.
The Mankadias are living without proper houses and they are yet to be given BPl cards, old-age and widow pensions. Besides, they have not been included in National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA). He also lamented that the tribals have been restricted from collecting fuel wood from the nearby forests. Some of them have been recently enrolled as voters but there is no mention of proper age, thus making the list virtually useless.
“As you are aware the Centre has introduced many measures to empower tribals under Forest Rights Act and Food Security Act, I would request you to immediately intervene and suggest appropriate steps to be taken up by both the State and the Central Governments so that the Mankadias will be able to live a normal human life with dignity in our democracy,” Samantara requested in the letter.