Odisha: NHRC seeks ATR on Nagada tribal children malnutrition

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the Jajpur district administration to furnish an Action Taken Report (ATR) on the growing malnutrition among the children of Juang tribe, a primitive tribal group, at Nagada village in the district.

The Commission has asked the District Collector to submit an ATR within four weeks on the follow-up action it has taken so far to stop the growing maturation among children of Juang, the order issued by NHRC on Thursday in response to a petition filed by a Human Rights Activist Akhand said.

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The petitioner Akhand had contended that after the death of 19 children in the age group of three to four years in Nagada in July 2016, the state government had undertaken a number of measures to bring down malnutrition and development of the village.

Contrary to governmental claims, nothing has changed the scenario of the village even after six years as the children are still malnourished and the tribals are impoverished. Only rice and dal or rice and salt constitute their staple food till today despite huge intervention and investment by the government, Akhand said in his petition.

The Commission shall be constrained to invoke coercive process under section-13 of Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 calling for a personal appearance of the authority concerned (Jajpur Collector) for submission of the report, in case the report is not received within the stipulated time, NHRC stated in an order issued on Thursday.