Keonjhar: Though tribal welfare is a priority sector for both the Central and state governments, several tribal villages and hamlets under Bansapal block in Keonjhar have remained backward in the absence of basic healthcare, education, communication and drinking water facilities.
Crores of rupees are spent every year to bring about a turnaround in the socio-economic condition of the tribals, but the sorry state of the tribals living at Uparakadakala in Kadajkala panchayat brings back memories of the infamous Nagada village in Sukinda area of Jajpur. Nagada village had made headlines last year after 19 tribal children reportedly died of malnutrition.
Most of the children in Uparakadakala village are suffering from severe malnutrition, given their frail constitution, sunken eyes and protruding bellies.
Reports said the underdevelopment of the village points to the utter futility of various welfare, poverty alleviation, social and food security programmes, MGNREGS, and projects being implemented by the governments.
It is alleged that most of the tribal residents in the village survive on wild fruits, roots and seeds available in forests. A few live on agriculture. Most of them often go without food when fruits and roots are not available.
“Work is not available here. It is almost impossible to manage families. How we can arrange food and clothes for our kids,” lamented some tribals.
An Anganwadi centre is in the area, but is located one and a half km away from the village. Parents do not allow their children to go to the distant Anganwadi centre for pre-schooling and nutritious food.
“The route is unsafe for kids. We do not allow our kids to walks to that distant place. The kids even do not go to school. Our days are spent on worrying over our livelihood. In this condition how can we provide nutritious food to our children,” rued Rupa Munda.
The residents suffer a lot when people fall ill and healthcare is out of bounds due to inaccessible communication.
“Healthcare services are inaccessible to us due to absence of proper roads. When any child falls sick, we take the help of traditional healers or resort to existing superstitious rituals,” said Nilambar Ghana.
It is learnt that infant mortality rate in tribal-dominated Bansapal block is high due to more malnutrition cases in comparison to other areas. However, the health department has failed to take effective measures to sort out healthcare issues of the tribal residents.
Besides, many Anganwadi centres do not open most of the time for lack of monitoring. Let alone education, even proper food is hard to come by for the children, it is alleged.
Locals admitted that they have no other option but to ward off hunger by consuming wild fruits, roots and seeds. They said nobody is bothered by their plight. PNN