Odisha: NHRC issues notice to Centre over missing transgenders from voters’ list
The NHRC passed the order acting on a petition filed by human right lawyer Radhakanta Tripathy.
The National Human Rights Commission has sought a report from the Odisha government over the death of 11 people from Juanga tribe in Keonjhar district of the state following alleged neglect by the health department.
The Juanga tribe falls under the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG).
The apex rights watchdog passed the order acting on a petition filed by human rights lawyer Radhakanta Tripathy.
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The petition pointed out that 11 PVTG Juanga tribals, including a 6-month-old baby, in Jantari village of Banspal block of Keonjhar district died due to apathy, negligence and failure of the health and family welfare department and tribal welfare department of the state government. These PVTG people are languishing in abject poverty sans basic human rights.
The nearest primary health centre at Gonasika is 15 km from the village, while the nearest community health centre at Banspal is located 40 km away. Jantari is home to around 100 Juanga families, who are among the most primitive tribal communities in Keonjhar district.
Of the 47,095 Juangs in Odisha, 26,707 are from Keonjhar district, mostly settled in Banspal, Telkoi and Harichandanpur administrative blocks.
Juang is one of the 13 particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTG) of the total 62 tribes found in Odisha. The ethnic group is mostly found in and around Gonsaika hills of Keonjhar.
The plight of these primitive tribal settlers often goes unabated despite the fact that Keonjhar district has the highest collection of district mineral foundation (DMF) funds. The money should have been utilised in priority sectors like safe drinking water supply, health services, education, bare necessities of life and other basic amenities for the local inhabitants, but utilization of funds for betterment of tribal people has failed to deliver the goods, the petition added.
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