Government’s failure to ensure food and health security led to death of widow

ISSUES: Right to food; freedom from hunger; extreme poverty

SAMPLE LETTER:

Dear __________,

INDIA: Call for responsibility and immediate relief to hungry and motherless tribal children

Names of the affected:
1. Ms. Sanjukta Sethi, 40-years-old, died of cancer and huger
2. Kabu Sethi, 17-years-old, eldest son of late Ms. Sanjukta, currently working in Tamil Nadu after Sanjukta died
3. Dipuna Sethi, 14-years-old, son of Ms. Sanjukta, in class 6
4. Laxmi Sethi, 12-years-old, daughter of Ms. Sanjukta, in class 5
5. Saraswati Sethi, 8-years-old, daughter of Ms. Sanjukta, in class 3, suffering signs of leprosy
Place of incident: Bogalai village, Banakhandi Gram Panchayat, Gop Block of Puri district, Orissa
Date of incident: early November

I am writing to express my deep concern about 40-year-old widow Ms. Sanjukta, who died of sickness suffering from hunger a few days ago on November 4, and the four children she left behind. I am surprised to learn that the administration, who received a complaint asking for immediate relief for the family dated October 25, 2011, prior to Sanjukta’s death, did not take any steps to assist the family. The government’s failure to provide any support or relief for this poor Adivasi family but the monthly 35 kilograms of rice as per their AAY card, even after the family lost their bread earner in October, contributed to Sanjukta’s death without any chance for medical treatment.

After looking into similar cases previously reported by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), I can only conclude that the government completely ignores the poorest of the poor belonging to the Adivasi groups. I am very well aware that the Constitution of India as well as Supreme Court Orders guarantees the right to food as a fundamental right, and substantiate it for its realisation. Yet, the state government as well as the administration fails to respect their Constitution and Supreme Court by denying the hunger of Adivasis, and failing to implement all available schemes and policies for them.

Prior to her death from cancer, Ms. Sanjukta Sethi lived with her four children in Bogalai village, Banakhandi Gram Panchayat of Gop Block, Puri district, Orissa. Her husband, late Mr. Babaji Sethi died of sickness with fever and energy deficiency a month ago. Babaji tilled a half acre of farmland belonging to Lord Jagannatha Temple as a tenant, on which he managed food for his family when he was alive. Being an extremely poor tribal family, the family holds an AAY card issued to the poorest among the Below the Poverty Line (BPL) families. The family received 35 kilograms of rice per month accordingly.

After Ms. Sanjukta was diagnosed with cancer, Babaji had to do extra work as a daily labourer for her medical treatment. Hard labour aggravated Babaji’s health, and a lack of nutritious food heightened his energy deficiency, resulting in his death. He did not have any other specific disease, but could not afford to go to any medical institution when he got sick. His death led to desperation for his family, and a huge burden for his eldest son in particular. As no one could cultivate the small piece of land without Babaji, his eldest son Kabu (17-years-old) was forced to migrate to Tamil Nadu to seek food. The other children go to school. Saraswati, the youngest daughter, was found to have signs of leprosy, but the family has been unable to take her for any medical treatment so far.

Despite the family being confronted with such difficult conditions, the administration failed to provide them with any redress, or to uphold their constitutional rights to food, health, and a life with dignity. The National Family Benefit Scheme that provides immediate relief for a family who loses its bread earner with INR 10,000 (about 200 USD), the National Widow Pension that supports widows by providing INR 200 per month, and the Chief Minister Relief Fund targeting the poor who need immediate medical treatment; none of these have yet come to the family. Furthermore, the late Sanjukta never received any support as a mother who gave birth to two daughters under the government scheme Balika Samriddhi Yojana, or the maternal benefit scheme which entitles daughters to get scholarships for their education.

Meanwhile, the family got some support from the children’s uncle Mr. Purnachandra Sethi, who is also a daily labourer as well as tilling one acre of farmland belonging to Lord Jagannatha Temple. However, Purnachandra has ten family members to look after, for which his income is not at all sufficient. Sanjukta’s family is not the only tribal family deprived of their basic rights.

I am further informed that earlier in 1999 when the Super Cyclone attacked the area, Babaji’s family received INR 5,000 under the housing scheme (IAY). He managed to build the foundation of his house but could not afford to complete it. His family have been living in a thatched house since then.

I recall an earlier case of Bhuje Naik, an Adivasi widow who died of sickness and lack of nutritious food, in which the government failed to provide her family with the benefits under available schemes and policies in time. After her death, Bhuje’s children were forcibly engaged in child labour to feed themselves. Later on, the children were separately sent to either school or social shelters for orphans, but one of them reportedly died. In response to the AHRC’s appeal, the government denied that the family suffered from a lack of food and starvation, instead emphasizing that Bhuje died of cancer. Furthermore, the government falsely stated that all assistance under relevant government schemes and policies had been provided to the family to the government’s best efforts. In fact, the children were only provided these after the death of their parents.

I worry that the government may issue a similar denial and false statement in this case as well. I urge you to pay immediate attention to the extremely poor living conditions of this family and take cognizance of the failure in providing all the available schemes and relief for the family in time. The government should not highlight the fact that Sanjukta died of cancer only to hide the starvation of the family. Instead of justifying its negligence, the government should look into the causes leading to the vicious cycle of poverty and starvation in which many Adivasi families are trapped, which eventually results in death. Furthermore, the government should improve access to its welfare schemes and policies, and ensure an available mechanism to provide immediate relief of medical treatment and food for those in dire conditions.

I look forward to your immediate response in this matter.

Sincerely yours,

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