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Rights panel takes note of reports on starvation

CUTACK: The Orissa Human Rights Commission (OHRC) after taking a suo motu cognizance of a starvation report published in a section of Press has come down heavily on the State Government for its inordinate delay in responding. Taking strong exceptions to the failure of the State Government in filing a report on the imputations of media reports, which claimed that starvation had forced an old man to sell his grandson in Jagtsinghpur district in May 2007, the Commission has directed the State Revenue Secretary and the district collector for a personal appearance and has fixed to hear the case on January 21.

The Commission on May 10, 2007 had asked the government to file a report on the media reports within four weeks. However, on August 1, the Government in a petition to the Commission had sought another eight weeks time to file the report. But surprisingly, the Government could not respond about the media report even after seven months of its publication.

On December 14, 2007, the revenue and disaster management department has written another letter to the Commission seeking eight weeks time more to file the report. This has irked the Commission that is now being headed by Justice R K Patra who refused to grant any more time to the government.

According to reports, one Dhruva Charan Rout (78) of Mirzapur village in Tirtol block of the district was trying to sell his eight-year-old grandson to a hotel owner for a sum of Rs 5000. The old man, an asthma patient was unable to take care of his three grand children, who were dependant on him after their mentally imbalance father deserted them.

Tragedy struck the family when Dhruva’s daughter-in-law died due to sunstroke in 2002. Later, Dhruva’s son turned lunatic and on one day left home leaving behind his three minor children. Dhruva was unable to work due old age and sickness somehow managed to take care of the children for some days by begging.

But when his condition deteriorated further, he was making an attempt to sell one of his grandchildren, the reports said.

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