Jajpur: Nagada that had hogged the headlines in 2016 following death of over 20 children due to malnutrition is once again in news for wrong reasons, a report said. As per sources, the cluster of hilly villages under Sukinda block of this district still paints a picture of neglect with the lifestyle of Juang tribals remaining unchanged even after so many years of the incident where many children died due to malnutrition.
The death of the children shook the state government, which announced a series of welfare programmes to bring in development in Nagada villages. Meanwhile, the hilly villages have been connected with a road but the tribal clusters still lag behind in terms of socio-economic development. The villages are witnessing rise in child marriages and the resultant population growth while malnutrition continues to haunt the primitive tribals of the hilly villages.
Reports said Nagada is a cluster of hilly villages comprising Tala Nagada, Majhi Nagada and Upar Nagada under Chingudipal panchayat of Sukinda block in Jajpur district. The existence of the village came to public knowledge after the media highlighted the death of over 20 children due to malnutrition in April 2016.
The reports that appeared in June 2016 rattled both the state government and Centre as senior officials made a beeline for Nagada. Initially, the then state health and family welfare secretary Arti Ahuja had visited Nagada July 13, 2016 and recommended both short and longterm plans for the development of the tribal villages.
Meanwhile, many short-term plans are being implemented here but the fruits of the developmental initiatives have remained a far cry, thanks to the negligent officials. The long-term plans include construction of an all-weather road, educational institutions, power lines, drinking water and housing facilities.
In her report, Ahuja also recommended for inclusion of the residents under Mamata scheme, Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), healthcare facilities, Mahatma Gandhi National Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), National Food Security Act (NFSA) and agricultural schemes and adopt Nagada as a focus village.
Among these, some schemes have been implemented while healthcare services, agricultural schemes and MGNREGS still elude the residents. On the other hand, cases have been filed before the Lokayukta over severe irregularities in drinking water supply and road construction projects. Officials have failed to undertake awareness programmes for which 16 minor girls have been married off in the last two months.
Meanwhile, the state government has implemented food security scheme in Nagada, Ashram school, Anganwadi centre and Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana while supplying free seeds and agricultural equipment to farmers. These apart, kitchen garden scheme and easy bank loan facilities are also available for the residents.
Similarly, the population of Nagada is spiraling day by day. The total population of Nagada was 543 by June 2016 which has now reached at 760. This has happened due to lack of awareness programmes.
The Juang tribals were urged to undertake mushroom and vegetable cultivation for better earning and self-sufficiency. However, now the tribals have returned to their old ways of shifting cultivation for which they are often bearing the brunt of forest officials.
Their food habit remains unchanged. They are still dependent on rice and wild tubers available in the jungles and are not consuming vegetables for which women and children are suffering from malnutrition and stunting.