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NHRC notice to Orissa
over starvation deaths

Taking serious note of starvation deaths in Orissa, National Human Rights Commission on Wednesday issued a "stern" notice to the state government.

The commission, which took cognisance of a series of reports in newspapers and electronic media, issued a notice to the state chief secretary seeking a "prompt reply," NHRC sources told PTI.

"A notice should be issued by fax to the state chief secretary for a prompt reply within a week giving details of action taken to provide food to the needy and to prevent any such deaths," NHRC chairman J S Verma said in his order.

According to the news reports, at least 20 persons in five villages of Orissa have died of either hunger or by eating food unfit for human consumption.

All these deaths have evidently escaped the official definition of starvation.

The Supreme Court, on August 20, had passed an order saying it was the primary responsibility of the Centre and state governments to ensure that the food grains, overflowing in the Food Corporation of India's godowns, should reach the starving people.

PTI

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