Report
of Monitoring Team on “Issues of Child Malnutrition and Food Security of Tribal
Children in Malkangiri District”
Introduction
Since long, Right
to Food Campaign, Odisha has been
monitoring implementation of
food security programme and
issues of child malnutrition in tribal
region of Odisha. The
organization does not limit itself just preparing of Monitoring Report but
takes up series of advocacy efforts to fight out child malnutrition issues in
the state at appropriate level. The organization has made series of reports with a
number of follow up activities in
respect of its monitoring visit to
different parts of the state examining
issues of Child Malnutrition among Juang tribes in Nagada of Jajpur
district, Child death in Malkangiri,
Child malnutrition among Kutia Kondh tribes of Kalahandi district , Child
Malnutrition among Paudi Bhuyan tribes in Banei area of Sundaragarh district.
This time, a 3-member Team of Right to Food Campaign, Odisha consisting of Sri Pradip Pradhan, Sri Akhand and Sri Sanjay Sahu
had visited Malkangiri on 10th and 12th of November,
19 to
study the Child malnutrition issues in Naxal-infested regions
of the district i.e., Cut-off
area of Chitrakunda Block and Bonda
Hill of Khairput block. The team visited
cut-off area
on 10.11.19 and Bonda Hill on 11.10.19 to gather
information about status
of food security situation of
tribal children and implementation of ICDS programme and
its impact on health and
food security of tribal children
and examine issues of child malnutrition in Malkangiri district. The Team
collected information while interacting with the people, GP functionaries and
Anganwadi workers etc. Our priority was to identify malnourished child, understand the problem / reason by interacting with the
parents, gather all information from
AWCs and the beneficiaries about
implementation of ICDS project
which has mandate to ensure food security and check malnutrition among the children in the state. This is
one of the most important food security
programme implemented nook and corner of
the country.
Details of visit of
the Team
Date = 10.11.19
Villages Visited -
Jantapai and Paparamelta villages of Paparametla Gram Panchayat of
Chitrakunda Block.
The Team
members met Dibya Tarakhara,
Anganwadi worker of jantapai AWC and collected
details of beneficiaries
registered in the centre.
These are as follows.
|
Age group
|
Number of beneficiaries in the Centre
|
|
0-6 months
|
8
|
|
6 month to 3 years
|
29
|
|
3 to 6 years
|
44
|
|
Pregnant Woman
|
5
|
|
Lactating Woman
|
8
|
During inspection of Anganwadi
Centre, the team came across Chhatua Packets (a delicious food mixture of
wheat, blackgram and sugar), Sooji halua
Packet, Ground-nut Ladu which are
supplementary nutritious food distributed for increasing nutritional
standard of the beneficiaries. These
packets were examined and weighed in the presence of villagers. The team members observed low quality of materials
with shortage of materials
in each packet. The details of
packets are as follows.
|
Category of
beneficiaries
|
Entitlements
|
|
6 months to
3 year
|
2.205 kg packet of
Chhatua , 8 eggs per month
|
|
DO
|
1.350 KG packet of Sooji Halua
per month
|
|
Pregnant woman
and lactating woman
|
1.350 KG of Packet
of Suji Halua and 8 Egg
Ground-nut Ladu per month
|
|
DO
|
4.410 kg Chhatua packet ( one packet per months)
|
|
Item (
Chhatua ) prepared and supplied by Lakhehira Mahila Samabaya Samiti,
Chitrakunda for children
|
Quantity
|
|
Total quantity of Materials processed
as mentioned over Packet
|
2.450 kg
|
|
Total quantity of Chhatua
available as mentioned over packet
|
2.205 kg
|
|
When
it was weighed , it was found in packet
|
2.1 kg
( shortage of 105 gram)
|
|
Sooji Halua prepared
and supplied by Lakhehira
Mahila Samabaya Samiti, Chitrakunda
|
|
Total quantity of Materials processed as mentioned on Packet
|
1.500 kg
|
|
Total quantity of Chhatua as mentioned on packet
|
1.350 kg
|
|
When it was weighed , it
was found in packet
|
1.350 kg ( Sooji was found neither fried nor processed. Only raw Sooji has been packed. )
|
|
Ground-nut
Ladu prepared and
processed by Chitragiri Vegetables
Growers’ Sangh , Korakunda, Ph- 9437614727
|
|
Total quantity of Materials processed as mentioned
in Packet
|
610 gram
|
|
Total quantity of Ladu packed
|
549 gram
|
|
When it was weighed
, it was found
|
510 ( shortage of 39 grams)
|
Anganwadi Worker expressed
her ignorance about
supply of shortage
of items in packet but
accepted low quality
of food items supplied. The beneficiaries
also complained of low quality of Chhatua
provided to them. In paparametla
village, the P&T
beneficiaries also complained
of irregular supply of
Chhatua and egg by Anganwadi
Centres. Anganwadi Worker also complained
of less quantity of
rice supplied by Transport Agent. She said
annual requirement of rice for her centre is 3.5 quintal. But Transport Agent supplied
7 packets of rice ( each bag is to be contained 50 kg rice
which is shortage of 3 kg ) . It
means 21 kg less rice is supplied
which is adjusted by Anganwadi
Worker.
Visit of Paparmetla village
During discussion with the
villagers mostly Pregnant and lactating
woman, the Team members received a lot
of complaints about irregular
supply of Chhatua, Suji Halua and egg. Priyatama
Khila, , Sabitri Pangi ( Mother of 3
months old baby ) , Subarna Khila ( Mother
of 2 week new born baby) , Bati Khara ( Mother of one year old baby) complained
of only one packet of Chhatua
is given in stead of two pockets per month along with occasionally
given Suji Halua and Ladu in two to three months
by Anganawadi worker. Only 4 eggs instead of 8 eggs is supplied . The team members did not
notice any malnourished
child in both the
villages.
Date- 11.11.19
The Team visited Bonda
Hill, habitation of most Primitive vulnerable tribal groups in the state.
Hunger, food insecurity is extreme high in this region. It is
75 kms from Malkangiri. The Team
visited number of villages
of Mudulipada GP and found a number
of children orphaned and malnourished. Anganwadi Centres are badly
managed. Food items are not
properly distributed.
In Bandhaguda village, the
team found four half naked orphaned children playing along side
road. Their father Lachhmi Dhangadamajhi and
Mother Budai Dhangadamajhi
have expired two years back. On
query about who takes care
of children, the villagers said that
the elder one 13 year old girl
prepares food and takes
care of other three children. They get
35 kg rice under Antodaya Anna
Yojana ( AAY) per month which
is the only food
with salt and green leaves.
In Bandiguda village,
the team visisted Anganwadi centre and interacted with Sarita Khirsani about
implementation of ICDS programme. The Team members noticed
2 year old malnourished child ,
daughter of Budai Khirsani, Mother. On query
why she has not been sent
to NRC ( Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre), the AWW replied that
Mother is not interested
to carry her baby for treatment.
The Team members
inspected Chhatua and Suji Halua
packet and tasted Ladu
which are distributed to the
beneficiaries . It was found
that low quality and less quantity
of food items are
distributed to the children
which is a big scam in this area. There is lack of
monitoring at every level.
|
Age group
|
Number of beneficiaries in the Bandiguda Centre
|
|
6 month to 3 years
|
10
|
|
3 to 6 years
|
24
|
|
Pregnant Woman
|
4
|
|
Lactating Woman
|
4
|
|
Item (
Chhatua ) prepared and supplied by
Jay Jagannath Women SHG, Udilibeda, Mathili Block , M- 9437025367 for
pregnant and Lactating woman
|
Quantity
|
|
Total quantity of Materials processed
as mentioned over Packet
|
4.900 kg
|
|
Total quantity of Chhatua
available as mentioned over packet
|
4.410 kg
|
|
When
it was weighed , it was found in packet
|
4 kg (
shortage of 410 gram)
|
|
Sooji Halua prepared
and supplied by Jay Jagannath
Women SHG, Udilibeda, Mathili Block , M- 9437025367
|
|
Total quantity of Materials processed as mentioned on Packet
|
1.500 kg
|
|
Total quantity of Chhatua as mentioned on packet
|
1.350 kg
|
|
When it was weighed , it
was found in packet
|
1.200 kg ( 150 gram less ,
Sooji was found neither fried nor processed. Only raw Sooji has been packed. )
|
The Team found Ladoo was very low standard.
Badapada Village
The Anganwadi Centre was
found under construction
for years together.
The centre is running in verandah of the
villagers. The Team faced similar
type of allegation of supply of less quantity and low standard of Chhatua. The Team found
a number of children
malonourished which requires
special attention
Details of Malnourished
children identified in Badapada village is as follows.
|
Name of
children
|
Name of parents
|
|
Chandrika Badnaik , 2 years
|
F- Sukru Badnaik , M- Adibari Badnaik
|
|
Ranjita Khirsani , 2 years
|
|
|
Bhumika Chalan, 1 year
|
F-Sama Chalan, M-Sambari
Chalan
|
|
Anita Sisa , 2 years
|
F- Mangala Sisa, M- Bhudei
Sisa
|
|
Sangita Sisa, 1 years
|
F-Sania Sisa
M-Sanki Sisa
|
|
Radhika Badnaik, 7 months
|
F- Sama Badnaik, M-Gouri
Badnaik
|
Findings
A. ICDS
project is badly implemented and does not reach to the doorstep of the
people. The beneficiaries are found
deprived of their entitlements.
B. Effective
attention needs to be paid for enhancing nutritional standard of the children.
C. Stern
action should be taken against the Women SHGs and other organizations for
supplying low quality and less amount
of Chhatua.
D. Lack
of proper monitoring is the biggest obstacles for effective implementation of
ICDS in the district.
Report prepared by Pradip
Pradhan
Date-2.12.19
