Dithering as 'starvation deaths' continue

By Prafulla Das

KASHIPUR (Orissa), SEPT. 5. Preparing a list of those living Below the Poverty Line (BPL), alone is not enough to provide rice to such people at a lower rate. Had it been so, an additional 8,000 or so families in the poverty-stricken Kashipur block of Orissa's Rayagada district would have been getting rice at the BPL rate since 1997.

As per the BPL census carried out by the Orissa Government in 1997, the number of families living below the poverty line in Kashipur block has increased to 24,482 from 15,662 in 1992. The total of households in the entire Kashipur block is only 31,321.

The authorities, however, have so far not issued the BPL cards to the families that were added to the list in 1997 because the State-level list was yet to be given a final shape, and the State Government had not taken a policy decision to implement the 1997 list.

As a result, instead of the 24,482 families getting rice at the BPL rate (Rs. 4.75 a kg), rice at the BPL rate is only being given to the 15,662 families in Kashipur where poverty continues to grow by the day and people are dying due to alleged starvation, malnutrition, lack of proper medical facilities, eating non-food items or food poisoning.

It is not only the families which were added to the BPL list in Kashipur alone who are being denied the provision of BPL rice since 1997. It is the same in case of all such families in the entire State. It is said that the State Government was not giving emphasis to the issue primarily because the State was facing a severe financial crisis.

In tribal areas, the BPL rice is being made available at a rate of Rs. 4.75 a kg. and the State Government is bearing Rs. 1.25 a kg. in case of these areas. The BPL rice is being sold at Rs. 6 in non-tribal areas. A BPL family gets 16 kgs of rice every month.

As per the 1992 BPL list, the State has 18,29,690 BPL families in tribal areas, 19,24,382 families in non-tribal blocks and 2,64,624 in various urban local bodies. Even though the 1997 BPL family list is yet to be given a final shape, officials say that about 7 lakh more families have been added to the 1992 list of 40 lakh-odd BPL families in the State.

The BPL census is carried out every five years with the next census due next year. But one wonders whether Orissa would be able to implement the 1997 list by the time it undertakes the next enumeration. Besides, the Orissa Government has also not been able to start the Antodaya Yojana even though the State- level list under the scheme is nearing completion. A total of 2,682 families have been identified in Kashipur by the Rayagada district administration under the Antodaya Yojana. But the list is of no use.

The Rayagada District Collector, Mr. Bishnupada Sethi, today said the administration was ready to face any independent probe to find out the actual cause of the deaths. ``I maintain that none of these deaths are due to starvation and I welcome any independent probe, including one from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).''

Meanwhile, two more deaths have been reported from Kashipur block, taking the toll there to 21 since July. Mr. Sethi said that Mr. Magu Majhi of Uppar Jhiri village died on August 28 after suffering from fever for 20 days, while Mr. Rabi Nayak of Tala Jhiri village died on August 27 due to bacterial dysentery.

The Rayagada district administration had admitted to 19 deaths in Kashipur, but cited different reasons, including food poisoning and diseases. When asked if people were consuming mango kernels due to the non-availability of food and work, Mr. Sethi said they were not being consumed in Kashipur alone but in other parts of Rayagada and neighbouring districts also. Stating that about 60,000 people in Kashipur were under the social security net and that the food-for-work programme had started in as many as 65 villages, he said there was no question of anybody dying of starvation.

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