Mango Takua Jau Repetition: No Rice for Four Months: Tribal Lives on Khursa, Kardi and Maize

Kandhamal, (Fast News Odisha): Due to the delay in the availability of rice, stomachs are filled with forest products like khursa, kardi, wild beans and maize to satisfy their hunger. Such an incident was also seen in Maskaguda village of Tumudibandh Block Bhandarangi Panchayat in Baliguda sub-district of Kandhamal district. According to the information received, there are 18 tribal families living in Maskaguda village. Ration rice has been received till last July. From August to November four months have passed, but till now no rice has been received. Even in Mindaga, there is no work, so on rainy days, they go to the nearby village and earn bills to support their families with great difficulty. Now there is no work. At the same time, even three months of rice, which is available in the ration card, is not available. We went to the panchayat office to get rice when we heard that rice was available, but we did not find it. As a result, we have to rely on the forest to feed our stomachs, and we have to go to the forest to collect rice, wild beans, and corn. Bhupinder Majhi of the village said in a sad voice that sometimes you have to stay in prayer. The district administration has taken notice of this and demanded all the tribal families to provide ration rice. In this regard, Bhandarangi Panchayat Executive Officer Babilta Mani was contacted by phone, but as she did not get a satisfactory answer, she asked Tumudibandh Supply Inspector Anjan Kumar Dagyal and said that rice will be provided immediately. While the incident of two women dying and six being hospitalized in Mandipanka village of Gadapur panchayat in Daringbadi block, in which two women died and six were hospitalized, there is a public question that the possibility of a repeat in Maskaguda village of Bhandrangi retreat in Tumudibandh block cannot be ruled out.

Report by Sanjay Kumar Manigarahi from Kandhamal District, Fast News Odisha l