NHRC Pulls Up Orissa Govt Over Starvation Deaths

OUTLOOK, Jan 18, 2011
The National Human Rights Commission today asked Orissa government to submit a detailed report on health, education and public distribution delivery system in Kalahandi-Balangir-Koraput region after 12 children in that area died allegedly due to starvation.


The rights body issued the direction at its camp sitting here while disposing a case of alleged starvation death of 12 children in Nabarangpur and Balangir districts in 2010.

The issue was taken up by the NHRC which conducted an investigation through its special rapporteur Damodar Sarangi last year.

Besides NHRC chairperson Justice K G Balakrishnan, three other members disposed the matter at the camp sitting.

Though the state government in its report to the NHRC claimed that the death of 12 children in KBK region was not due to starvation, the Commission refused to accept the argument, NHRC secretary K S Mani said.

"Poverty, malnutrition and hunger are rampant in the KBK region. This made children susceptible to starvation deaths in the area," Mani quoting the NHRC remark on the matter.

This apart, the Commission also expressed displeasure over lack of action by the state government over the years in reducing poverty, disease and malnutrition in the Kalahandi- Balangir-Koraput region.

Though the NHRC had earlier made several suggestions in this regard, the state government did not act upon it, the Commission observed.

"Children might not have died of starvation. But within a few days so many children dying in a particular area is a matter of concern," it observed.

In another case, the NHRC also asked Orissa government to issue a circular to Puri district administration where washermen and barbers were treated like bonded labourers.

The Commission's full bench comprising Justice Balakrishnan, Justice B C Patel, Satyabrata Pal and P C Sharma also came down heavily over the denial of compensation to the affected people due to Salandi-Nalia River Sanskar project.

"The Commission asked the state government to take care of the affected families before displacing them or affecting their living for setting up the project," Mani said.