Right to Food Campaign on Child Malnutrition in Nagada village

Report of Monitoring Team  on  Intervention of State Govt. in response to alleged Hunger and Malnutrition death  of  Infants of  Juang tribes in Nagada village  of Jajpur district, Odisha

In the wake of news highlighted by Mass Media about death of 20 infants due to malnutrition in Nagada village of Jajpur district and subsequent public outcry and reaction of opposition political parties accusing state’s mal-administration responsible for such unfortunate incident, the State Govt. responded immediately from 14.7.16 by sending a number of officials to Nagada village to assess the situation of Juang tribes and their children.  Since last 20 days, Mass media has been highlighting a number of steps taken by the district administration in this village to check malnutrition and provide free health service to malnourished children by sending special doctor team and referring them to Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre (NRC). Besides that the State Govt.  has also started construction of road to Nagada from Deogaon, distribution of water filter and food materials like rice and dal to each family and installation of Solar Light etc.

Having gone through the news, it was felt by Right to Food Campaign, Odisha to visit Nagada village again to monitor performance of Govt. officials and their intervention to address the issues of hunger and malnutrition, development work, if any taken by Govt.  for the socio-economic development of Juang tribes. It is needless to mention here that a six-member Fact-finding Team of Right to Food Campaign, Odisha had visited Nagada village on 15^th and 16^th July 2016 to ascertain the facts about alleged child malnutrition and suggested the State Govt. to take steps for the development of the tribals. On 18.7.16, the Fact-finding report was also presented to Chief Secretary, Govt. of Odisha, Secretary, Women and Child Development Department, Health and Family Welfare Department, SC and ST development Department and Revenue Divisional Commissioner, Central Division, Cuttack seeking enquiry and quick action by the Govt.  to save the  tribals from hunger and malnutrition.

As decided earlier, a 7-member Fact-finding Team   visited Nagada village on 5.8.16 to assess and monitor performance and intervention of the State Govt.  The Team Members were as follows.

1. Pradip Pradhan,Member, Advisory Group of NHRC on Right to Food, M-9937843482

2. Kalandi Mallik, District Convener,  Right to Food Campaign, Jajpur district, M- 9938618390

3. Biswanath Patra,Human Rights Activist, Sukinda, Jajpur District

4. Sanjay Nayak, Social Activist, Bhuban, Dhenkanal District

5. Kali Prasanna Mohanty, RTI Activist, Badachana, Jajpur

6. Ananta Kumar Das, Member, Odisha Soohana Adhikar Abhijan, M- 9437672036

7. Hrudanand Mallik, Social Activist, Bhuban, Dhenkanal district 

Visit of the Team

The Team started journey from Deogan village amidst heavy rain at 11 o’clock and reached in Nagada at 2 pm.  The team members spent 4 hours on Hilltop interacting with the villagers, relief team, visiting Medical Camp, police camp along with VHF set up, inspecting various works and materials distributed by Govt.  in the village   and started returning back from Nagada at 6 pm evening and reached at Deogaon, foot of the Hill  at 10 PM covering dark mountainous forest track. This time journey was very tedious, adventurous and memorable for all of us.

1. Meeting with Govt. official

The Team members found presence of a number of Govt. official and their camps in Nagada village and met the following Govt. officials and volunteers of NGOs deputed by Govt. who have been stationed there to carry out different works entrusted to them in the best interest of Juang tribes.

a. Sri Asit Nayak of Valid India Trust engaged by Women and Child Development Dept. to identify malnourished children, monitor their health and ensures treatment to malnourished children in collaboration with Govt. Doctors.

b. Kamala Pradhan, Mini Anganwadi Worker , newly applointed by Govt. to manage ICDS programme

c. Ms. Manorama Pradhan, Anganwadi worker along with other seven AWWs deputed by Govt. to monitor health of the children, pregnant woman and enforce ICDS service.

d. Four Police personnel deployed to maintain law and order in Nagada and found playing cards day and night without bothering anything.

e. Teachers of ASPIRE NGO conducting pre-school and joyful education in Nagada and managing noon food provided to the children funded by T.S.R.D.

f. Assistant Computer Programmer deputed by BDO, Sukinda Block undertaking survey to identify the families left out of purview of National Food Security Act.

2.  Intervention  on  Child Malnutrition- One Step Forward  

The Team came across a health camp under a tent functioning in the village with appointment of a Doctor, ANM and other para-medical staff. The Team met two volunteers Asit Nayak and Suryakant of Valid India Trust, NGO examining health condition of malnourished children. During interaction with them, it was found that Women and Child Development Dept had engaged them to look into malnourished children. The task assigned to them was identifying malnourished children, monitoring their health, providing nutritious food and ensuring their treatment in consultation with Medical Team. They were also providing EDNRF (Energy Dense Nutrient Rich Food), a nutritious liquid packed food to the malnourished children. There are still 16 malnourished children ( seven Acquit Malnourished  and nine Moderate Acquit Malnourished) identified in the village, says Asit Nayak, VIT Volunteer. On 26.7.16, one 2 year old infant Rebati Pradhan, daughter of Sania Pradhan whose condition is very critical has been referred to NRC (Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre) for better treatment.  The Team came across two malnourished children whose condition was very critical.   

3. Intervention on ICDS – Just beginning to see the children free from Malnutrition.

The Team came across a team of Anganwadi Workers along with a Supervisor interacting with women and filling up Forms and maintaining Registers in different locations in the village.  While interacting with Smt. Manorama Pradhan, one of Anganwadi Workers’ team deputed to Nagada said that they have been assigned with task of sensitising pregnant and lactating woman about health, child care, breastfeeding etc.  and conducting survey   for newly opened  two Mini Anganwadi Centres. The Team members met Kamala Pradhan, newly-appointed Mini Anganwadi Worker who was found feeding her son 2 years old   only cooked rice without any curry or dal and wanted to know her assignment and how she was discharging her duties. She said that she got appointed seven days back and serving noon cooked food to the children. No breakfast is provided to the children.

4.      Intervention on Food Security- Still Nightmare?

Prior to visit Nagada village, it was   decided by the Team to study minutely about food security situation of Juang people and substantial improvement, if any in their food security after intervention of the Govt. Accordingly, the team members visited three houses and interacted with number of the villagers to know about their present principal food item consumed by them. The Team observed that two people were eating rice and fried leaves, one consuming only cooked rice and salt and a 3 year old child consuming only cooked rice with fried leaves. On query about reason for consumption of only rice and fried leaves, they said that they had nothing to eat. Then, they were asked to know about type of food materials provided to them by Govt.  Mania Pradhan, Kartik Pradhan and other villagers said that the Govt. has provided rice and Mug Dal to each family. On 24.7.16,  5 kg Rice has been provided per person in each family and 2 to 3 kg mug dal has been allotted to each family keeping in view  size of the family by the Govt.  besides that Chuda and Guda has also been provided to each family  which is  hardly consumed  by them.  On query about why they are not consuming dal every day, they said that it will be tasteless. Besides that no food item has been provided to them.

It was also found that few people who have been left out under NFSA are being provided new ration card as Priority Household (PHH). No Antodaya card has been given to them as required to meet direction of the Supreme Court that each Primitive Tribal Groups are entitled to get 35 kg rice per month whatever may be their family size. The people are seen very dull, physically weak and unable to do hard work.

5.      Free Kitchen for children

With support from T.S.R.D., an NGO called ASPIRE is running free kitchen in Nagada village. One cooked meal in every day is provided to 80 children. The food menu served to them was rice, dal and soya chuk curry without any vegetable.

6Intervention on  Infrastructure Development 

a.The Govt.  has started  road construction work  at Deogaon  to Nagada.

b.  Each family has been provided water flter which has remained inside their house without any use.

c. Solar light has been installed in the village with connection to few families. The work is going on.

d. Construction of two new wells has been started.

e. Dress, sari, fan and mosquito net has been provided to each family.

Analysis and Recommendations

A.  As   there was allegation  of  malnutrition  as reason for death of the children in Nagada village,  the Govt. has taken  it as primary responsibility  to check malnutrition  among the children  by  undertaking series of activity including   deputing  medical team  and opening medial camp  in the village.  Regular health monitoring, providing nutritious food, medicine to the malnourished children, regular treatment, sensitisation activity  by Anganwadi Workers , Opening Anganwadi Mini Centre,  and referring  acute malnourished children to NRC  has been on-going  work  which is a laudable job done by Govt.

B.  The issue of Malnutrition should not be taken as health problem. Rather it is a food security problem.  Due to acute food crisis,   a man remains in hunger and chronic huger leads to malnutrition or starvation death. In Nagada, food insecurity is the major problem which has not been addressed by the Govt. till yet.  Due to lack of purchasing power, the villagers could not purchase any food item for their consumption. So they are seen forced to take only rice, fried leaves and salt. May times, they also could not purchase salt. Remaining hunger and taking only rice has not only weakened their body but caused huge malnutrition among children. The pregnant and lactating women have suffered from several diseases.  To address this problem, the state Govt.  has started  distribution of rice and dal  to  each family.  Dal cannot always be consumed by anybody. The State Govt. has not provided sufficient dal to them.  So finding no other item for food,  they  still  continue to consume same food i.e., rice, salt and fried leaves considered by them as Principal Food, observed  by the Team. It should be kept in mind by Govt or any Non-Govt. Organisations, unless food insecurity issue is addressed,   malnutrition cannot be checked.  The Team also found that noon meal provided to the children supported by TSRD is devoid of any vegetables and egg.

C.  The Govt. has not yet started any labour intensive work for the people. Unless the Govt. starts employment generation work, the villagers cannot earn and continue to depend on Govt. for relief materials.  It is also not practically possible on part of the Govt.  to continue to provide relief to the villagers for months together. If relief is stopped, the tribals will again face same problem and continue to suffer.

Recommendation of the Team

Keeping in view the above situation, the Team makes   following recommendation to the State Govt. and RDC-led Task Force to strengthen socio-economic condition of Juang tribes.

1.  The Team feels that the half-hazard   intervention and relief operation undertaken by Govt.  will no way help the tribals.  Malnutrition can be addressed for some period. But it can not be checked  in long run.  Malnutrition can be checked through strengthening their food security. So besides distribution of rice and dal, the Govt.  should provide  potato, onion, oil, egg and vegetables  as relief materials to each family  in order to strengthen their food security. Rice and dal may not address their hunger problem in the long run.

2.  Free kitchen centre opened for children can be used to provide food to weak and older persons.  This should be provided twice in a day.  Vegetable and egg curry should be food item in free kitchen centre. It should continue at least for 3 months.

3. The Govt. should immediately start labour intensive work in order to provide employment to the villagers. So that they can earn and survive independently without depending on relief.

4.  Agriculture work, horticulture, plantation programme should be undertaken with the objective to engage them in agriculture activity  for their livelihood.

5.  Road construction work should be undertaken on war-footing way  to ensure quick connectivity to Nagada village which stands as biggest problem for  any kind of intervention  by Govt. or Non-Govt. bodies.

Report prepared by

Pradip Pradhan

Plot No.D-27, Maitree Vihar, Post-Rail Vihar, Bhubaneswar-23

M-9937843482 

E-Governance Project in Odisha

E-Governance Project in Odisha

On 31.5.2016, RTI Application was submitted to the PIO, Dept. of Electronics and Information Technology, Govt.  of Odisha  about details of  E-governance project in Odisha and  amount spent for it.  The PIO, office of Odisha Computer Application Centre (OCAC) has supplied the following information.  OCAC is the nodal agency for implementing e-governance project. Besides that the State  Govt.  has engaged many private organisation  for e-governance project  which has not  been supplied  by the PIO. The information below is still incomplete.  

                                                                                                                                                                                ( in Crores)

Name of the project	Project Activity	Total outlay	Total Exp.
Odisha State Wide Area  Network  ( OSWAN)	It is one of the core infrastructure projects under National e-Governance plan.  Under the project the State Head quarter is connected with all 30 Districts head quarters and 284 block head quarters.  The Network was operational on 25th august 2010. Video conferencing set up has been established at SHQ and all DHQ.	92.00	88.00
Common Service Centre	Under National e-Governance Plan, Govt. of Odisha has taken up Common Service Centre (CSC) scheme   for implementation in the state.  The objective of the scheme is   to set up  8558  CSC  called as Jana Seva Kendra  which will act  as  front-end  delivery points  for Govt., private and social sector service to rural  citizens of India in an integrated manner  and at affordable cost.	70.00	35.84
Odisha State  Data Centre (OSDC)	It is one of the core infrastructure projects under National e-Governance plan. M/s Wipro Ltd.  was the consultant  for the project . M/s SPANCO has implemented the project as Date Centre Operator.  M/s  E&  Y  is the third  Party Auditor  for the project	54.24	11.61
eDistrict  Pilot Project	This project is for creating workflow system for the district administration  and help in providing  efficient individual department services through Common Service Centres (CSCs)	31.89	15.98
Horizontal Connectivity  of OSWAN	The objective of the project is  to roll out  the important e-governance applications  of the Government Departments.  It was decided that 1266 nos.  Of critical  Govt. offices  will be provided  OSWAN connectivity  as Horizontal offices.  The project started  in the year 2012	80.00	48.47
Students Academic Management System  ( SAMS)	This is a project of Higher education Dept.  which is implemented  under OCAC.  The objective of the project is to  automate  the admission  ( e-admission)  and administration ( e-administration)  process of college.	16.75	16.75
e-Municipality  Project	Odisha e-Municipality  Project is a centralised, integrated  application.  This project is implemented  for 44 ULBs  in the first phase out of 110 ULBs.  The solution is developed   and managed by  Tata Consultancy services  from State Data Centre  and support located at OCAC.	20.56	18.33.
Odisha Secretariat  Workflow  Automation  System ( OWSAM)	OWSAM,  a solution  to automate  all the functions  ad working procedure  of secretariat  and provide  an effective  method  of storing, maintaining  and retrieving  the huge  volumes  of data that is generated  by integrating  workflow, knowledge, security  management through core, central  and departmental  applications.	22.00	29.23
Child Trafficking System  ( CTS)	The project aimed  to  each  children  between 0-14 years  with name, guardian name,  date of birth,  sex, religion,  category, school  where   they are studying. If  out of school, reason of out of school, mother tongue,  children with special needs if any etc.	1,35,70,326.00	1,35,70,326.00
CTS-Validation and Up gradation -2008	CTS was initiated  to validate and update  the database created through  ICR Scanning  in 2005-06. It was funded OPEPA.	18,00,000.00	18,00,000.00
epragati	Application software developed under epragati Project  started during 2006-07. It was funded by W&CD Dept. During 2007-08	38,41,386.00 9,76,800.00	38,41,386.00 9,76,800.00

e-despatch

This project started  in 2008  to automate  the dispatch  system  of all Government  letters  to various  offices and to  the citizens . Project started during 2005-06. The e-dispatch implementation cost was Re 5,75,000 for each Department/ Undertaking/PSU.

Sanjog Helpline

In order to provide prompt Grievance Redressal service relating to its different citizen centric schemes, Govt. has implemented Sanjog Helpline.  The project was started in August 2008.  The budget provision of Rs. 31, 86,168.00 was made by Odisha Government.

Pradip Pradhan

M-9937843482

Date- 1.8.16

Sashi Bindhani the useless and inefficient Information Commissioner in Odisha

Ms Sashi Prava Bindhani- Most useless and inefficient Information Commissioner in Odisha- Why and How?

·    She lacks expertise and knowledge in writing of proceeding of the case.

·   The copy of the decision of the case disposed by her is sent after 6 to seven months of date of disposal.

·   It is heard from   a staff of the Commission on the condition of anonymity that as she does not have knowledge to write the proceedings, copy of the   decision of the cases could not be sent to the appellant or complainant at the earliest.  

·   She is hardly aware about judicial decorum of the country. 

As I recall, when the State Govt. declared nomination of Ms. Sashi Prava Bindhani for the post of  State  Information Commissioner in June 2015, many so-called NGOs and few  Social Activists got  delighted  and  congratulated Ms. Bindhani  for her elevation to the said post addressing her as Sashi Apa, Lago Raho. At the same time, RTI Activists of Odisha had opposed the selection of both the Information Commissioners questioning the selection procedure devoid of transparency and terming it as arbitrary. RTI Activists have also raised doubt about efficiency of both these Information Commissioners to discharge their duties mostly hearing and disposal of the cases, the primary function of the Information Commission.

Her efficiency or inefficiency was tested and exposed within very short period of time since her joining as Information Commissioner in June 2015. We have come across many cases to prove her inefficiency as Information Commissioner. But now, I herewith present one of the cases for reference of the public to understand her inefficiency, bad performance and poor knowledge about laws. Her substandard and careless writing of the proceeding of the  cases disposed has never happened in any case ever disposed by any Information Commissioner in Odisha.

I am enclosing herewith a copy of complaint of said case addressed  to Governor, Odisha  by Complainant-Information Commissioner Sri Anuj Mohapatra of Balasore seeking immediate enquiry and action against Sashi Prava Bindhani, State Information Commissioner under section 17 of the RTI Act. My write up  has been derived from his complaint petition.  

1.    That, a so-called private Medial Practitioner Sri K.C. Das   (proprietor of Shree Jagannath Ayurvedic Clinic, Darada, Balasore  regd no. 5583), who is virtually a quack and practicing his quackery over the years, without ever bothering over his un-licensed status, used to fraudulently   masquerade him as an M.B.B.S.A. degree holder ( in the style of Dr. K.C.Das ). In continuation of his years long malpractice, he issued a fake Medical Certificate to a patient named Mr. Sarat Ch. Mohapatra on 21.1.2012

2.    Having come across such a concocted certificate, he lodged a complaint to the Collector, Balasore on 6.5.13 with a copy of it duly forwarded to the Chief District Medical Officer, Balasore for enquiry into the matter. 

3.    For about long six months he waited for the results of   enquiry and Action Taken Report, if any, against the alleged culprit who was responsible for issue of a fake Medicate Certificate as mentioned above, but in vain.   Then he took recourse to filing an RTI Application  dated 15.11.13  before  the PIO, office of CDMO, Balasore, requesting for disclosure of the  Action Taken, if any,  in respect of my   complaint filed before the Collector, Balasore. But having got no response from the said PIO, he made the First Appeal before the First Appellate Authority-cum-CDMO, Balasore   to direct the concerned PIO to provide the information. Strangely though, the First Appellate Authority neither heard the case nor disposed of the same.

4.    On 31.3.14, he filed second appeal to Odisha Information Commission to get   the information   with prayer for penalty under section 20 (1) of the RTI Act.

5.    After a long lapse of one year and nine months, Mrs. Shashi Prava Bindhani, State Information Commissioner heard the case registered as SA No.- 885/2014 and disposed it on 21.12. 2015. However, the copy of the decision of the Commission was sent to him after another long lapse of about 6 months i.e., on 18.6.16.

6. While going through the copy of the decision, he found it   a horribly mindless write-up in terms of both language and content. It can be spoken of complete ignorance of the Commissioner about the art of drafting a decision.   The following sentence extracted from the decision on the case ( Para-2) shall amply bear out   apprehension of  anybody about it. (copy of the Commissioner attached here with for your ready reference)-

“ the Appellant  has filed  the Second Appeal memorandum  on 9.4.2014  alleging that  the  information sought  from the  PIO, O/0  the Chief District Medical Officer, Balasore through his RTI Application  dated 15.11.2013 in spite of  filling  of first appeal  petition  dated 16.12.2013”.   Does this sentence carry any meaning at all?

7.In Para 3 of the said decision  ,  she has further mentioned, “  the  Chief District  Medical  Officer, Balasore  in his written memorandum  has submitted  that  the  appellant  had sought information  regarding  allotment  received and expenditure incurred  about  Dengu at Baliapal CHC”.    This is a typical case of superb mindlessness, since the information he  had  sought  for was about the Action Taken  on his  above mentioned complaint  filed before  the Collector and CDMO, Balasore,  which was denied  to him.  

8. The above decision signed by her   proves her rank inefficiency and ignorance not only about how to adjudge a case but how to put a decision in black and white.

9. So many months has elapsed since she delivered the above mentioned decision which was absurd par excellence. Were she able to diagnose her errors as typographical ones, having nothing to do her intent or volition, she could have brought out a corrigendum to rectify the same and intimated the appellant accordingly. But, nothing of the sort has come out in the long aftermath of the mindless decision.  By issuing such a meaningless decision she has not only proved herself as a pitiable creature affected with chronic imbecility, but also caused an infamous disgrace to a quasi-judicial, statutory authority such as Odisha Information Commission.

How the inefficiency and inaction of the Commission affects the RTI Act and the Citizen at large?

 The Mandate of the RTI Act is to empower the   people to access the information held   under the control of the Public Authorities. As the  information is power,  the citizens  file so many  RTI Applications to  different  Govt. offices  to get the  information  so that they  will use it  for their benefit. As per the findings of National Study conducted by RAAG, 80% of the RTI Applicants had filed application to address their grievances.  RTI Act has helped a lot to citizens to solve their problems.  RTI Act has been extensively used by Activists to expose corruption and irregularities in implementation of Govt. programme.  The Information Commission has been constituted to hear    complaints/ appeals  of the  Information  seekers.  If any  delay is occurred  in terms  of hearing  or disposal of the cases,  the  relevant  information, if supplied  with direction of the Commission  will loose its importance  and  may be irrelevant.    The complaint/ second appeal cases are heard   by the Commission after around two years of the  date of filling  of the case.  The Commission took another 5 to 8 months for disposal of the case.  After disposal, the Commission takes another 6 months for sending the copy of the decision to the complainant/ appellant.  The lingering  of the hearing of the case and delay  in sending the copy of the order  has  brought  standstill  in the  implementation of RTI Act  and made the  complainant  hopeless.  The people like Sashi Bindhani is dangerous not only for RTI Act but for the nation as a whole.

Pradip Pradhan

M-9937843482

Date- 26.07.2016