Report sent by Solidarity Committee for Internally Displaced Tribals (Andhra Pradesh), 16 October 2010.
Now wage labour, starving family after forced to leave 20 acres of land and 30 cattle
On 23 September 2010, a young couple along with their 3 male children approached the mobile health team being run by an NGO that is working for the displaced tribal from Chattisgarh with a complaint that their 3rd son, who is 10 days old, stopped sucking mother’s milk for the past 24 hours.
Not only the mother, the child and the entire family including father and other 2 children are also looked like severe anemic and not at all eating properly from so many days.
The only available advice to that family was to rush to Area Government hospital, Bhadrachalam without delay. As they were prepared to go to the hospital the mobile team has decided to take them to the hospital in Bhadrachalam in the mobile health team’s vehicle, to avoid delay.
All the above photos are taken on 23 September 2010, in the hospital- photos covered - younger child, ten days old; both the younger children in the hospital bed; mother with the child and the family
The team reached the hospital in the evening, and treatment was started for the mother and 2 younger children as they were severely anemic.
After four days of treatment, two children and mother was referred to Nutrition and Rehabilitation Center (NRC), being run by the ITDA, Bhadrachalam.
In Bhadrachalam for the past 15 years an NRC is being run by the ITDA where anemic children and the mothers are provided treatment till they recover normal; in the NRC, patients will be given 3 times quality food and required medicine. Treatment in the NRC will be given on a long term basis for which one should stay one week to three weeks, depending on the severity. But the Chattisgarh tribe hesitates to join and stay in the NRC because the staffs in NRC are not familiar with their language and these tribal are ill-treated and discriminated. To overcome the situation the NGO, working for the displaced chattisgarh tribal appointed female staffs who know their language to look after their needs and offer required counseling and support. She also maintains a brief profile of each family of Chattisgarh tribal, joined in NRC.
On the enquiry some details of this family was gathered: Madivi Nanda son of Pandu about 25 years old, along with his wife, Chukki (20 years) and two sons Somudu (5 years) and Budra (3 years) came to Kukunur forest area of Khammam district from Duleed of Chattisgarh, two years back.
Madivi nanda said that they came to Khammam to escape violence, threats and attacks from the Salwa Judum. His family owns 20 acres of land and 30 cattle in their native village but he came here with only 4 cows and 2 quintals of food grains.
To support their family Nanda and his wife started coolie work in the adjacent villages particularly in the cotton, mirch (chili) and tobacco fields. In initial days both were attending the coolie and were getting Rs. 60/- each. Later, when his wife became pregnant, her health condition slowly deteriorated and she was unable to do labour work. Then their wage from labour work decreased day by day, the food intake of the family also reduced and they all were pushed into all sorts of crisis.
Treatment given in NRC:
In NRC it was found that Budra, the second son (3 years) is only 4.87 kg and the youngest son (15 days old) weighed only 1.5 kg and both were declared as 4th grade malnourished. The mother and her 2 children were admitted in NRC for 2 weeks and discharged on 12th October, 2010. While they were discharged they were strictly advised to have good food such as milk, mutton, vegetables, green leaves, fruits, etc for at least 3 months that would help improving their health condition.
The above photos are taken on 12 October 2010, in the NRC, Bhadrachalam on the day of their discharge.
