With 15 of Orissa's 30 districts hit by drought amid allegations of more than 400 starvation deaths in nine years, a Supreme Court panel has asked the administration to rescue hungry people immediately to prevent possible deaths.
The SC appointed Commissioner and Special Commissioner have recommended a "protocol" for preventing hunger deaths in the state.
"Protocol for preventing starvation would ensure that the state response is appropriate to mitigate some of the distress faced by poor and vulnerable groups," SC Commissioner N C Saxena and Special Commissioner Harsh Mander told state chief secretary T K Mishra in a letter.
The SC Commission's letter, which reached the office of the chief secretary here recently, also sought an action taken report within a month.
"We are in touch with the Commission in this regard", Mishra told PTI adding that the state administration was taking all steps to avoid hunger deaths.
"It is imperative in the present context of widespread drought in many districts of the country that the state governments should follow a protocol to prevent starvation among poor and vulnerable households", the commission told the state government.
The state government has already declared 3,264 villages under 70 blocks and 41 wards under nine urban local bodies spread over 15 districts as drought affected.
"The areas having sustained crop loss of 50 per cent and above during 2009 kharif season are declared drought hit", revenue and disaster management minister S N Patro said.
The drought-hit districts include tribal dominated Kalahandi, Koraput, Kandhamal, Malkangiri, Mayurbhanj, Nawrangpur, Nuapada, Sundergarh and Deogarh.
The infamous starvation deaths and child sale in Kalahandi in 1980s had drawn national attention with many dying of hunger though the then government had denied the allegations.
Stating that the district administration was found to be spending most of its energies in trying to establish that deaths were not due to starvation but due to health reasons, the commission asked the state government to ensure that the focus should now be shifted to all the communities that were living in hunger rather than waiting to respond to the crisis after deaths are reported.
Allegations of 404 starvation deaths were made in the last nine raising questions whether development has percolated to all sections.
The highest number of starvation death complaints (50) were received from Keonjhar district followed by 45 in Khurda district during these nine years, official sources said. Other districts from where large number of reports were received include Bargarh, Ganjam, Jajpur, Kalahandi and Nuapada. Kalahandi reported 40 such incidents while Nuapada reported 20. Besides, 31 starvation cases were reported from Bargarh district while 33 cases were reported from Ganjam district followed by 27 from Jajpur district.
While the number starvation complaints reported in 2001, 2002 and 2003 were 64, 66 and 73 respectively, it had come down to less than 40 in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. Three such cases were reported till July, 2009.
Revenue minister S N Patro said all the starvation death allegations were investigated by the state government and found to be not true. Starvation death complaints are investigated by a gazetted officer in the presence of the sarpanch, ward member and some villagers.
"The district collectors probes into starvation death allegations within 48 hours of complaints", Patro said.
In its recommendations, the commission asked the state government to immediately provide relief to families of alleged starvation victims, ensure food availability to them free of cost for at least six months.
The families facing hunger should be provided with foodgrains on highly subsidised rates and steps taken to ensure early sanction and release of insurance under NFBS (national benefit family scheme), the commission said. The commission's mantra to prevent avoid starvation deaths include coverage under livilihood schemes like ICDS, MDM, NREGS and old age, widow and disability pensions.
For children of the hungry families, the commission said that the administration should ensure their admission to SC-ST hostels.
Similarly, it asked the administration to double food quotas for infants, small children, expecting and nursing mothers.
