Death of tribal kids: PM's advisor visits affected area

Taking a serious note of the death of a large number of tribal children due to malnutrition, a senior official, deputed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, today began a fact-finding visit to the tribal settlements in Attappady area of Palakkad district in Kerala.
As a follow up to the reports submitted by central ministers who visited the area earlier to study the problem, T K A Nair, Advisor to the Prime Minister, visited a few tribal settlements and held interactions with the central and state officials to have a knowledge of the exact magnitude of the situation, official sources here said.

As many as 42 tribal children had died in the last one- and-a-half years in the area, most of them either due to malnutrition or ill health of mothers.
The Centre had earlier announced a Rs 200-crore package for Attappady area. Nair had been deputed to make an on-the- spot assessment of the situation as prelude to work out schemes to address the health problems and related issues, the sources said.
After winding up the visit, a meeting of elected representatives, nominees of NGOs, medical officers and officials concerned would be held at Agali in Attappady tomorrow.