Delay in supply of nutritious food kits to Adivasis: AIJASC holds protest in H. D. Kote

Adivasis gathered in front of the Taluk Office in H. D. Kote near here on Friday in protest against the two month delay in supply of nutritious food kits to them.

The Adivasis, who had congregated under the leadership of All India Jana Adhikara Suraksha Samiti (AIJASC), said the nutritious food kits provided to them under Integrated Tribal Development Programme (ITDP) had not been supplied during April and May this year.

AIJASC’s Sunil T. R., who was also present at the protest site, said the nutritious food kit supplied to the Adivasis during March was meant for January. “In April and May, when people are already distressed due to lack of daily wage work, the non-availability of nutritious food items every month has pushed them into further hardship,” he lamented.

Further, highlighting the denial of basic amenities like access to drinking water, roads, toilets and proper houses to the Adivasis, Mr. Sunil pointed out that in Dadadahalli hadi, Bavali hadi and hadis in the N. Begur area, including Malada hadi, people are forced to use contaminated water as they do not have access to clean drinking water.

Meanwhile, Tahsildar Srinivas and ITDP officer Mahesh, who came to receive their memorandum, had assured the protestors that the nutritious food kits for April and May would be distributed within this month.

A statement from AIJASC said the officials had also assured that the drinking water and other issues would be brought to the notice of the Deputy Commissioner and the respective Panchayat Development Officers (PDOs) of the respective villages and steps would be taken to resolve them.

Mr. Sunil said most of the Adivasis living in H. D. Kote and Saragur taluks of Mysuru district are agricultural labourers. “They are innocent people affected by illiteracy, malnutrition, poverty and lack of awareness of the law,” he said.

The supply of nutritious food kits had been disrupted for the last two months citing tender process, Mr. Sunil claimed. “Therefore, the tender process should be completed immediately or, until the tender is finalised, food items should be purchased and distributed temporarily,” he said.

With regard to drinking water problems, Mr. Sunil said the government is only issuing press statements in meetings asking officials to ensure that there is no drinking water problem. “Though the region is close to the Kabini backwaters and forest-fringe areas, several villages and hadis are not receiving drinking water,” he lamented.

AIJASC has urged the authorities to not only supply the nutritious food kits pending for the last two months, but also for the months that had been skipped earlier. Also, the food kits should include ragi also, along with the other items, Mr. Sunil said.