Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Jul 22:

After years of neglect towards the Juanga tribes residing in the tough terrains atop a hill in the mineral-rich Jajpur district, Odisha government today doled out an array of facilities to the disadvantaged populace where at least 19 infant deaths due to alleged malnutrition have been reported in the last four months.

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The state government has drawn a road-map for the development of the area after its babus visited inaccessible Nagada.

“Currently, whatever each family is getting as the entitlement will be doubled. The supplement food that they are getting has been doubled. Eggs, Supplementary Nutritious Food, take home rations and energy-rich nutrition food for their nourishment has been doubled. All these will reach them today,” informed Manoj Ahuja Secretary Agriculture and nodal officer of the state task force briefing newsmen here at a press conference today.

"The government has already opened a Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre at the village where 25 children along with their mothers are being provided special care and treatment," Ahuja said.

Ahuja along with P K Meherda Director Agriculture and other officials had visited Nagada yesterday.

“At present, we are focusing on fulfilling their health and nutritional needs. We are in discussion with the Rural Development department for making available piped water supply to them,” Ahuja said.

Stating that a Health Camp would operate from tomorrow at the foot of the hill, Ahuja said all inhabitants of the village would undergo health check-ups adding one Anganwadi centre has been operating there and the government has sanctioned three more mini-Anganwadi centres for the 85 Juanga families.

Ahuja said on the issue of providing connectivity to the place, we are trying to provide connectivity both from Dhenkanal side and one from Jajpur side as well.

This apart, Ahuja said, "One VHF set has already been installed at the village and plans are there to provide two more VHF sets for easy communication with the plain".

“There is no electricity there at present. We are trying to fix a solar panel and will provide solar lamps to each family,” Ahuja informed.

On the other hand, the number of infants admitted to the hospital at Kaliapani has increased with three new admissions today.

The number which was 19 yesterday has gone up to 22 today, said Jajpur district collector S K Mallick.

As many as 15 out of the admitted children have been detected positive for malaria, officials at Kaliapani said.

Meanwhile, one severely malnourished infant from Nagada has been admitted to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Post Graduate Institute of Paediatrics, popularly known as Sishu Bhawan in Cuttack today. The infant’s condition is stated to be critical.