Badasahi: Protruding bellies marked with bony frames, thin limbs and cavernous eyes speak volume of the unhealthy condition of tribal children living in Khadiasahi village under Badasahi block in Mayurbhanj district.
Thirteen children of the village, which has remained backward on all fronts, are reportedly suffering from malnutrition.
This tribal village at the foothills of Similipal sanctuary is inhabited by over 300 people belonging to Khadia, Bhumija and Mohant communities.
The poor health of the kids has been attributed to lack of proper feeding and healthcare facility.
The underdevelopment of the village and the poor health condition of the tribal kids have posed a question on the effective implementation of a host of tribal welfare schemes on which crores of rupees are being spent every year by the state and Central governments.
It appears welfare schemes have remained out of bounds for the tribals in Khadiasahi.
The tribal hamlet lies in a forested hilly pocket, 40 km away from the block headquarters. The area is a home to 50 Khadia families, 15 Bhumija families and as many Mohant families.
Most of the villagers are landless and poor. They solely survive on minor forest produce which they collect from the nearby forests. Whatever they earn from selling the minor forest produce in the local market is too meagre to manage their families, let alone taking care of their children’s healthcare. Survival has virtually become a daily struggle for them while the administration has not taken any step to provide workdays to the poor tribal under the MGNREGS.
According to a report, the government has set up an Anganwadi centre at Beladunguri, which is a kilometer away from Khadiasahi.
However, locals allege that the food that is provided to kids and pregnant women through the Anganwadi is of substandard quality and insufficient.
Locals said their kids fear to go to the Anganwadi at Beladunguri due to explosions carried out at illegal stone quarries on the way.
They had taken up the issue with the child development project officer (CDPO). Thereafter, an Anganwadi worker provided cooked food to the kids on the local school campus. But that arrangement has been stopped for the last two months. Now, the children are provided four eggs and sattu packets each monthly.
The villagers alleged the administration has taken no steps for treatment of the ‘malnourished’ children.
“No government official has even set their feet in the village to take stock of the situation,” lamented ward member Bangi Soren and villagers Dhuma Dehuri, Satrughna Dehuri and Raidas Dehuri.
Anganwadi worker Mamata Singh said, “Kids are not provided cooked food as rice is not available at the Anganwadi. Cooked food will be provided only after rice is made available.”
However, Anganwadi supervisor Tanushree Mishra explained the situation differently, saying children and pregnant women could not be given cooked food as Anganwadi workers had staged an agitation for some time.
As for the short supply of rice, the supervisor said immediate steps will be taken in this direction.
When contacted about malnourished kids, CDPO Kuntimani Patra pleaded ignorance of the matter and assured that immediate steps will be taken in this regard after holding talks with the Anganwadi worker and supervisor.
About a month ago, sarpanch Biswajit Singh had said he had the drawn attention of the officials at a panchayat samiti meeting, but nothing was done.
The collector had earlier given order for formation of panchayat-level and block-level child protection committees to take care of children, but the directive has not been carried out as yet, it was learnt. PNN