The Chhattisgarh government has denied that a child from a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) died due to hunger in Balrampur-Ramanujganj district.
The government's assertion is based on a report of the Sub Divisional Officer (Revenue) in Wadrafnagar who denied the death of the two-year-old child from Korku due to hunger after meeting the family.
An official statement issued on Thursday citing the report as saying that a team of government officials including a block medical officer met the family of the child, Babu, who died on August 11 at 3.00 am.
He was brought to the village Panchayat Bartikhurd Primary Health Centre on August 10 with high fever and diarrhoea. He was treated there by Dr Sanjay Paleshwar.
The father was given medicines and sent home. The child developed high fever early next morning. As the father had no vehicle or mobile phone, he could not contact any health worker or reach a hospital.
The statement denied the veracity of the published news of death by hunger.
The official statement said that on Thursday, the Sarpanch and Secretary handed over 50 kg rice, 5 kg of pulse, 5 kg potato and 1 litre mustard oil to the family.
The Food Inspector was directed to ensure a ration card to the family within two days.