The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought a detailed response from the Malkangiri district Collector over the fate of the starving ‘rat eating’ poor children and the tribals who virtually suffer from Japanese Encephalitis (JE). Encephalitis is a disease caused by the mosquito-borne Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV).
Supreme Court lawyer and rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy brought to the notice of the NHRC the plight of the tribals and the negligence of the district administration.
Considered hotbeds of Maoist activity, the death of children at Potrel and Usakapalli in Korukonda block and at Charkiguda on the outskirts of the district headquarters has brought into focus the lacunae in the delivery mechanism. The children, aged five to 15, died in a span of two months due to a mystery fever Japanese encephalitis caused by mosquitoes, the petitioner contended.
Malkangiri has an infant mortality rate of 56 per 1,000. It has six per cent literacy rate among tribal women while 60 per cent of the district population of 4.5 lakh are tribals, mostly primitive tribal groups Koyas and Bondas, the petitioner contended.
“The tribals sleep close to cow and pig sheds due to lack of shelter/houses. The medical professionals express helplessness to treat the tribals with symptoms of Japanese encephalitis taking the plea that tribals consult Disari/Gunia (traditional healers) and consider evil spirits as the cause for the deaths. Situation is worsening day-by-day that amounts to serious violation of human rights,” Tripathy alleged.
Acting on the petition, the apex human rights watchdog directed the Malkangiri district Collector to submit a detailed report about the future plan to prevent the recurrence of the disease within six weeks.