Nuapada family’s story illustrates Paharia tribals’ plight Tuesday, 08 June 2021 | AJIT PANDA | NUAPADA
Nuapada family’s story illustrates Paharia tribals’ plight
Sabitri Paharia of Bhainsadani village in Nuapada district died on May 12. Her husband Dhansing had died about a year ago. "Both of them were sick for a couple of weeks before their death," villagers said, but nobody in the village could confirm what their illnesses were.
According to villagers, none of them could avail proper treatment because they fell sick during the peak of the pandemic. Poverty might have been another reason that might have restricted them to go for health checkup.
The couple has left behind two children, Aasmati (11) and Pandit (5), who are now staying with one of their relatives, Laxman Paharia, in the village. Bhainsadani village is located 110 km away from the district headquarters town Nuapada. It has a Primary Health Centre (PHC), but the post of doctor is vacant since long. The nearest health facility is at a distance of 12 km at Boden. Other Government institutions in the village are the Panchayat office, primary school, Tribal Girls’ Hostel, ANM Centre, Anganwadi Centre for the children and a camp of CRPF.
None of the Government functionaries/ workers, except a few teachers who belong to the village itself and, of course, the anti-Maoist police forces stay in the village. Sabitri and Dhansing belonged to the Paharia community, which, according to British records and various socio-anthropological research studies, is one of the primitive tribal groups of the country. This community, known as Kamar in Chhattisgarh, finds a place as a tribe in the ST list of Chhattisgarh and has been included as one of the PVTGs there, but their rights as tribals have been denied in Odisha, as a consequence of which development of the community has been severely affected. Administrative apathy, especially lack of understanding of Government officials about the livelihood conditions of Paharia community and their nonchalant attitude towards the problems of Paharias, has resulted in negligence of the community.
Sabitri Paharia, after the death of her husband, was entitled for financial support of Rs 2,000 under the Harishchandra Yojana, Rs 20,000 under NFBS and also a pension of Rs 500 per month under Widow Pension (WP) Scheme.
But none of these benefits was provided to her. She was not even issued the death certificate of her husband until the attention of the administration was drawn by this correspondent through a tweet. However, the official process to cover Sabitri under NFBS and WP lingered for months and Sabitri didn't get any benefit during her lifetime.
Officials as usual didn't initiate any suo moto step to provide support to the children of Sabitri even after her death. It was as a response to a tweet again that the administration swung to action and provided support under Harishchandra Yojana and assures support under NFBS and CMRF. Assurance of benefit from the Odisha Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board has also been made by the district administration as a response to yet another tweet.
In the meantime, the children have been provided support by some NGOs and Government agencies. When the panchayat has provided rice, Pallivikash NGO contributed dry ration and other daily needs commodity.
The Boden police also reached orphaned children, counselled them and provided them rations and tweeted, "District administration is apprised of the matter to provide them proper support & rehabilitation.”
The district administration wanted children to be shifted to an orphanage. Laxman, the uncle, said his sister has died; it does not mean that children have no one in the village to take care of them and disapproved the proposal of putting the children in orphanage. He also didn't agree to an alternative suggestion for sending children to KISS, Bhubaneswar.
Village leader Budhuram Paharia said he understands that the children would get good education if taken care of by Government, but it would be unethical to send them far away from family, community and village.
"My sister is no more, but as long as I am there, I would take their care," said Laxman. "When hundreds of children of our community and our panchayat are reading in local schools and ashrams, why should we keep these two away from us," asked Budhuram.
Reiterating their demand for inclusion in ST list of Constitution, Budhuram further asked, "Sir, of those who visit us show their concern for our poverty, no one tries to fulfil our demand for tribal status; why our main issue is not addressed?"
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