Ref No. VJAS/PIL-HC/Kolam Deaths/175/2007, March 19, 2007
PRESS NOTE – URGENT
PIL ON STARVATION & MALNUTRITION DEATHS OF KOLAM TRIBALS :
HIGH-COURT ORDERS IN PIL :
STATE GOVERNMENT TO HOLD URGENT MEETING ON TOMORROW – 20TH MARCH, 2007 FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF ACTION TAKEN REPORT FOR THE BENEFIT OF POOR TRIBALS FACING STARVATION & MALNUTRITION DEATHS IN YAVATMAL DISTRICT OF VIDARBHA REGION.
NAGPUR, DATED 19th March, Monday
Consequent upon the Nagpur Bench of Mumbai High-Court orders the State Government has now finally directed to Amravati Divisional Commissioner to hold urgent meeting on 20 th March, 2007 at Nagpur Divisional Commissionerate, along with the PIL Petitioner Vidarbha JanAndolan Samiti President Shri Kishore Tiwari & all concerned officials of the State Government to implement the Action Taken Report on the Kolam Tribals Starvation & Malnutrition Deaths in Yavatmal District of Vidarbha Region. The tribal belt of Yavatmal District is most affected due to non implementation of various schemes for the benefit of poor tribal families residing in the 710 tribal villages of Nine Talukas of Yavatmal District and the poor tribals are deprived of fundamental rights of Food, Shelter, Education, Health and Drinking Water even after the directions of Hon'ble High-Court.
It may be recalled that, on 14 th March, 2007, the Division Bench of the High-Court at Nagpur consisting of Justice Shri Ambadas H. Joshi and Justice Shri R.C. Chavan while hearing the Public Interest Writ Petition filed by Vidarbha JanAndolan Samiti President Shri Kishore Tiwari in the matter of infringement of fundamental rights to Live & Life of the poor tribal families in the Tribal Belt of Yavatmal District, passed the above order. The High-Court is seriously concerned with the facts that, the tribal families are deprived of basic means of life such as food, shelter, education, health & drinking water due to the apathy of the State Government in implementation the various welfare schemes, even after the report from the High Power Committee appointed by the High-Court in the PIL.
It may be recalled that the PIL Writ Petition was filed way back in May 2003 when the 52 Kolam Tribals died of starvation in Yavatmal District. The High-Court Division Bench at Nagpur had appointed various committees from time to time during the period of last 3 ½ years and finally had directed the State Government to submit Action Taken Report.
As per the orders of the High-Court, the Minutes of the Meeting will have to be submitted within 10 days and next date of hearing has been fixed for 29 th March 2007.
Showing posts with label malnutrition. Show all posts
Showing posts with label malnutrition. Show all posts
Monday, March 19, 2007
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Kolam Starvation Deaths Data - ATR
In a PIL filed with the Nagpur Bench, of Maharashtra High Court, clarifications, data and figures have been requested regarding Action Taken Reports (ATR), submitted by the state government.
Exact figures and data, have been requested for Kolam Habitation, Yavatmal, deaths between July 2006 - December 2006.
The Honourable High Court has asked for the comments to be returned within 15 days.
RESPONDENTS :
1. The State of Maharashtra,
Through The Chief Secretary, Mantralaya, Mumbai – 32. 2. The Secretary,
Department of Tribal Development, Mantralaya, Mumbai – 32.
3. The Secretary,
Department of Food & Civil Supply, Mantralaya, Mumbai – 32.
4. The Divisional Commissioner, Amravati Revenue Division, Camp, Amravati.
5. The District Collector, Yavatmal, District – Yavatmal.
The Petitioner Kishor Tiwari, strongly objected the Govt. of Maharashtra's submission, and told to High Court, that Govt. of Maharashtra, is not serious in saving Kolam tribals in Vidarbha as they have acted just against their Action Taken Report in areas of health care, food supply, housing, child and women welfare etc.
He pointed out that the Govt has reduced the staff and fund on these programmes and over thousand Kolam tribals have been deleted from the list of BPL families in the recent past. The ICDS scheme has completely failed and more malnutrition and child deaths have been reported in the Vidarbha.
The High Court was shocked to learn from the govt. reply on the final report that Kolam tribals are asked to go to work 140 k.m. away from their actual habitat and they have not even provided basic facilities of shelter, food and education. The govt. has misused the 9% reserved fund meant for tribals for the salaries of babus in the state, which is against the constitutional provision, Kishor Tiwari informed the honourable court.
The Kolam starvation PIL has been listed in next 15 days
Points raised in petition are :
1. The beneficiaries of Annapurna and Antodaya Scheme are not included in the list of below poverty line.
2. Supply and quality check of the food-grains of PDS :
3. Clothing to the Kolambs :
4. Shelter to Tribal families: It was found that the Kolams are not having shelter and in monsoon season they have to pass sleepless nights on trees and hence a special project for housing is required.
5. Drinking Water : The report demonstrated the sorry state of water supply so also the availability of potable drinking water to the tribals and also the fluoride contaminated water.
6. Health Services Recommendations is to have qualified Doctors, trained staff and adequate medicines.
7. Regular Employment to the tribal.
8. Education to Tribal Families. The Commissioner has found in various villages the nutritious diets in the schools was not supplied, neither the Khichadi is distributed. The post in Ashram Schools were found vacant.
9. Benefit of various schemes of Central / State Govt.
10. Budgetary allocations for Tribal sub-plan for implementation of the basic schemes of food, shelter, health, education and water.
11. Sensitization of Government officials, about the Tribal issues, for understanding their problems.
The petitioners have pointed out, with disappointment, that the Action Taken Report is not at all a report but is an eye-wash having not a single statement about what action in which area is taken.
Exact figures and data, have been requested for Kolam Habitation, Yavatmal, deaths between July 2006 - December 2006.
The Honourable High Court has asked for the comments to be returned within 15 days.
RESPONDENTS :
1. The State of Maharashtra,
Through The Chief Secretary, Mantralaya, Mumbai – 32. 2. The Secretary,
Department of Tribal Development, Mantralaya, Mumbai – 32.
3. The Secretary,
Department of Food & Civil Supply, Mantralaya, Mumbai – 32.
4. The Divisional Commissioner, Amravati Revenue Division, Camp, Amravati.
5. The District Collector, Yavatmal, District – Yavatmal.
The Petitioner Kishor Tiwari, strongly objected the Govt. of Maharashtra's submission, and told to High Court, that Govt. of Maharashtra, is not serious in saving Kolam tribals in Vidarbha as they have acted just against their Action Taken Report in areas of health care, food supply, housing, child and women welfare etc.
He pointed out that the Govt has reduced the staff and fund on these programmes and over thousand Kolam tribals have been deleted from the list of BPL families in the recent past. The ICDS scheme has completely failed and more malnutrition and child deaths have been reported in the Vidarbha.
The High Court was shocked to learn from the govt. reply on the final report that Kolam tribals are asked to go to work 140 k.m. away from their actual habitat and they have not even provided basic facilities of shelter, food and education. The govt. has misused the 9% reserved fund meant for tribals for the salaries of babus in the state, which is against the constitutional provision, Kishor Tiwari informed the honourable court.
The Kolam starvation PIL has been listed in next 15 days
Points raised in petition are :
1. The beneficiaries of Annapurna and Antodaya Scheme are not included in the list of below poverty line.
2. Supply and quality check of the food-grains of PDS :
3. Clothing to the Kolambs :
4. Shelter to Tribal families: It was found that the Kolams are not having shelter and in monsoon season they have to pass sleepless nights on trees and hence a special project for housing is required.
5. Drinking Water : The report demonstrated the sorry state of water supply so also the availability of potable drinking water to the tribals and also the fluoride contaminated water.
6. Health Services Recommendations is to have qualified Doctors, trained staff and adequate medicines.
7. Regular Employment to the tribal.
8. Education to Tribal Families. The Commissioner has found in various villages the nutritious diets in the schools was not supplied, neither the Khichadi is distributed. The post in Ashram Schools were found vacant.
9. Benefit of various schemes of Central / State Govt.
10. Budgetary allocations for Tribal sub-plan for implementation of the basic schemes of food, shelter, health, education and water.
11. Sensitization of Government officials, about the Tribal issues, for understanding their problems.
The petitioners have pointed out, with disappointment, that the Action Taken Report is not at all a report but is an eye-wash having not a single statement about what action in which area is taken.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Malnutrition and Kolam Tribals Starvation PIL
Malnutrition Amongst Kolam Tribals :
The Nagpur Divisional Bench of Mumbai High Court is siezed of the matter of the difference between ground level reality and the Action Taken Reports filed in the High Court, concerning Kolam tribal deaths and lakhs of malnutrition cases being reported by the state health authorities.
Starvation, malnutrition and hidden hunger amongst tribals and indebted farmers, are issues that are of prime importance even as the Central Congress government is considering ways of opening up the food retail sector to foreign investment and global logistics experts in food retail.
Public interest litigation, regarding tribal families malnutrition cases, amongst tribals, deserve attention by the state health authorities, not only in Maharashtra but also in West Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand and Gujarat.
Somehow, the media gets awakened to the issue of malnutrition only when there are a few starvation deaths.
Tribals are being asked to walk as much as 140 kilometres to avail of state government provided food and basic nutrition.
There is an urgent need to review if the Indian Agriculture Ministry is pursuing policies and global trade agreements that are causing local food insecurity amongst large sections of Indian population like children, women and tribals, who do not have adequate health protection.
The Nagpur Divisional Bench of Mumbai High Court is siezed of the matter of the difference between ground level reality and the Action Taken Reports filed in the High Court, concerning Kolam tribal deaths and lakhs of malnutrition cases being reported by the state health authorities.
Starvation, malnutrition and hidden hunger amongst tribals and indebted farmers, are issues that are of prime importance even as the Central Congress government is considering ways of opening up the food retail sector to foreign investment and global logistics experts in food retail.
Public interest litigation, regarding tribal families malnutrition cases, amongst tribals, deserve attention by the state health authorities, not only in Maharashtra but also in West Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand and Gujarat.
Somehow, the media gets awakened to the issue of malnutrition only when there are a few starvation deaths.
Tribals are being asked to walk as much as 140 kilometres to avail of state government provided food and basic nutrition.
There is an urgent need to review if the Indian Agriculture Ministry is pursuing policies and global trade agreements that are causing local food insecurity amongst large sections of Indian population like children, women and tribals, who do not have adequate health protection.
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