Jajpur/Kaliapani: Expressing concern over the spate of malnutrition deaths in hilltop Nagada village in mineral-rich Sukinda valley of Jajpur district, the women and child development department (WCD) Wednesday directed the district collector to supply additional supplementary nutritious food to Nagada, Guhiasala and adjoining villages for the next two months.
The department has also decided to open two mini-Anganwadi centres in Nagada. The matter came to fore after a letter (11224, dated-July 19) of social welfare director Dr Prasant Kumar Reddy reached the office of collector Satya Kumar Mallick Wednesday.
Besides, the department has also given its approval for opening of an additional 182 Anganwadi centres and 21 mini-Anganwadi centres in the district.
While establishing the centres, priorities should be accorded to villages which have more population of tribals, Dalits and minority communities. The collector has been directed to take immediate steps in this direction and submit the list at the earliest.
Meanwhile, chief district medical officer (CDMO) Phanindra Kumar Panigrahi and health officials returned halfway from Ashokjhar in Deogaon without visiting Nagada village Wednesday. Panigrahi was caught on the wrong foot while speaking to a private news channel. He said 13 kids have died in Nagada village while in reality 18 kids have died so far.
DRDA project director Brajagopal Acharya visited Nagada and assured the villagers of providing work to all job card holders. He also assured them of laying a permanent road to Nagada, ensuring irrigation facilities, establishing banks and constructing colonies for the villagers living in the low lying areas.
Acharya said, he will revisit the village Thursday and take stock of the situation.
This apart, activists of several voluntary outfits like Unicef, St John Ambulance, We For You and Jay Orissa visited Nagada village and distributed dry food and solar light radios and conducted medical examination of the affected kids in the village.
Currently, there are over 2603 Anganwadi centres and mini-Anagnwadi centres in the district out of which 1,400 do not have their own infrastructure and are being operated under severe constraints.
Last year it was planned to construct houses for 1219 Anganwadi centres under state plan and Mahatma Gandhi National Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) programme. However, they are far from being completed.
Health secretary Arati Ahuju had visited Sukinda block July 13, and reviewed the status of the Anganwadi centres in the district. She spoke about various reasons leading to the children’s deaths while indicating towards the negligence of the district administration.
While an ASHA worker appointed for Nagada, Guniabal, Tumuni and Guhiasala village resides in Deogaon, an Anganwadi worker appointed for the villages lives in Kaliapani which is 7 km from Deogaon.
She also advised the Anganwadi worker to live near Nagada village as the place is at a distance of 7-8 km from Deogaon village. She expressed her her displeasure as no field worker lives nearer to Nagada village. PNN