BHUBANESWAR: A year after 21 deaths were reported in Gudgudia gram panchayat inside the Similipal Wildlife Sanctuary in a span of 60 days, the tragedy appeared to have struck again this year.

About seven tribal children below the age of five years were reported to have died due to fever and malnutrition since April last week.

According to Community Health Centre (CHC) of Jashipur block under Mayurbhanj district, the spate of children's deaths were reported almost everyday from April 27 and April 30 in five villages under the same panchayat.

The children, who died due to intensive fever, pneumonia, jaundice, malnutrition with septicemia, were identified Sumati Dehuri (5), Srimati Hemrbam (3), Kargil Marandi (1), Shrooram Sing (3), Jaydev Palia (2), Kapura Mohakud (8 months) and Baduni Purty (5 months).

Cut off

Located inside the sanctuary area, the village remains cut off from outside the world for more than four months. According to a study, the staple diet throughout the year has been rice and salt while vegetables and mushrooms, which are seasonal, are treated as luxury.

Last year 13 deaths were reported only from Kumaribill village under Gudgudia panchayat. Of 21, 13 infants had died due to malnutrition, health department sources said.

About 66.97 per cent of Gudgudia's population were casual labours while less than 20 per cent did cultivation for subsistence, the study said. As high as 60 per cent households were having a monthly income of Rs 500 while a substantial 32 per cent earned Rs 250 per month to secure two square meals a day.

After 15 days of spate of deaths last year, a baseline survey was conducted in Kumaribill village and the study showed that 15 of 58 children were found to be at bottom of malnourishment.

In the 65 villages situated in the buffer zone of Similipal Sanctuary, people suffer due to starvation, malnutrition, food poisoning and polluted water, the study said.

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