Western Orissa's Chabripali worse than Somalia

Courtesy:- Indian Express

by Riyan Ramanath V

BALANGIR: It is a gaping hole too difficult to bridge. This is how the two member team of Asian Legal Resource Centre from Kowloon, Hong Kong, felt about the rich-poor divide in India after their Friday visit to Chabripali village that had captured headlines following the death of five members of a family due to starvation a year back.

Jin Ju, a researcher in the food security department of the centre and Bijo Francis, programme officer for South Asia Desk, observed that while one India is ostentatiously spending crores only to prove its organising skills like the nations exhibit military prowess, the other India is living under abject poverty.

"While one India is totally alienated from development, the other is relishing it," commented Francis. He said the condition he observed in Chabripali was worse than that of Somalia, Ethiopia and Cambodia. "It is a gross violation of human rights and Orissa and India government owe an explanation for this neglect," said Francis.

Describing the situation as very unfortunate, Jin said mere token gesture of people's representatives and perfunctory approach to serious human rights issues by conscious citizens including press compound the problems.

"The paradigm prevailing in India should be discussed at law enforcement level. There should be proper presentation of the human rights issues in media," said Jin. Further, she said the next thing that has to be ensured is that whatever promised is delivered.

The team will also visit Amlapali village in Nuapada district that had hit headlines in 1984 after Phanus Punji sold her sister-in-law Banita.

In Balangir, though five members of Champe Bariha family died of starvation, the State Government is yet to take cognizance of the deaths. Following media reports, special repertoire of Supreme Court Food Commission visited the village to submit a report.