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NHRC recommends measures to prevent starvation deaths

In view of the rising numbers of starvation deaths reported from various states, the National Human Rights Commission has recommended a number of measures, including emergency feeding programmes, old age and disability pensions and other social security and employment generation programmes, to be taken by the Union and state governments to prevent such deaths.

NHRC souces told UNI that the Commission's recommendations were more relevant in the light of the fact that starvation deaths are an annual feature in the drought-prone districts of Orissa. But other state governments could also follow them to avoid occurance of such unfortunate incidents, particularly in view of the crop failures in many parts of the country.

The Commission issued its recommendations on a petition filed by the Indian Council of Legal Aid and Advice pursuant to the Supreme Court's order of July 26,1997. The Council sought interim measures to prevent deaths by starvation that have reportedly occurred in eight districts of Bolangir, Kalahandi, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nawarangpur, Naupada, Rayagada and Sonepur. The area is popularly known as the KBK districts.

Former agriculture minister Chaturanan Mishra had written a letter to the Commission requesting it to conduct an inquiry into the alleged starvation deaths in the state. The Commission also received a joint memorandum signed by seven members of the Orissa assembly listing 14 such deaths in the state.

Considering the grave nature of allegation of deaths by starvation and seemingly recurrent nature of the tragic incidents, the Commission sent a team of officers comprising the secretary general and director general (investigation) to visit the affected parts and submit its report, they said.

Commission sources said after eleven in-depth hearings on the subject held between September 3, 1997 and January 29, 1998, examining all aspects of the matter, including economic theories relating to starvation and famine and the economic, social and environmental history of Orissa, particularly in the KBK districts, the Commission issued the recommendations which should be followed within two years.

It also considered the response of the state and Union governments to such situations and the practical measures that could be taken in the interim and be dove-tailed to the long term plans to end the scrouge of deprivation, malnutrition and cyclic starvation in these districts.

They said the state government through its emergency feeding programme already provides additional nutritional supplement to 74,545 people on once-a-day basis for 25 days a month. The Commission has suggested that the programme should be available for each day of the month.

If any persons have been inadvertently omitted from the programme, they should be added to those being fed on the advice of the concerned Gram Sabha/Gram Panchayat, the competent authorities of the state government or the Commisson's special rapporteur. The Commission also recommended that the nutritional quality of food, both in terms of types of items offered and their caloric value should be improved.

The Commission is of the view that all those who qualify for old age pensions, disability pensions and other social security measures should be included among the beneficiaries.

At present 56,579 people of these districts were covered under the existing pension schemes and the state government has indicated that 47,959 more people would qualify for assistance under the existing criteria of the national age old pension scheme. It has already submitted a proposal to the Union government regarding this which should be acted upon expeditiously, the NHRC has recommended.

It also recommended district-wise programmes relating to rural drinking water supply, social security, soil conservation, irrigation, afforestation and primary health care and suggested that their benefits could be maximised by linking them to various employment generation programmes. It has also suggested that there should be no delay in payment to those engaged in employment generation programmes.

The steps should be taken in the KBK districts to provide iron and iodine supplements and Vitamin A to young women and mothers to prevent malnutrition, which is taking a heavy toll on them, and low birth weight in children born to them, the Commission said and recommended that a health-cum-nutritional survey by an independent agency like the Nutrition Foundation of India be undertaken in these districts.

The Commission has urged the state government to constitute a committee to examine all aspects of land reforms and give its report within a fixed time frame on the measures that should be taken to remedy the present situation in these districts which is marked by lack of land reforms, the alienation of land, migration and numerous other concomitant ills.

Effective implementation of these programmes could be ensured by proper monitoring for which the Commission has suggested the setting up of a monitoring committee under the authority of the chief secretary at the state level to guide and supervise the efforts.

Besides, the NHRC intends to appoint an eminent person to serve as its special rapporteur for the KBK districts to keep itself fully informed of the developments in respect to these districts and to interact, on its behalf, to the appropriate authorities at the state, district or other levels as it may deem appropriate and necessary.

UNI

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