Starvation death: Who is to blame?

EVEN AS top officials of the State government and ministers were busy with the ongoing preparation for Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav?s programme on Friday, Dumri Khas Tola village under Chauri Chaura police station remained engulfed in grief over the death of Bikao (26) due to starvation.

EVEN AS top officials of the State government and ministers were busy with the ongoing preparation for Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav’s programme on Friday, Dumri Khas Tola village under Chauri Chaura police station remained engulfed in grief over the death of Bikao (26) due to starvation.

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It is to be noted that starvation deaths in Gorakhpur division have gone up raising the heckles of the administration. Around two dozen deaths from starvation and malnutrition have occurred in two months in Kushinagar district of the division. The latest death was the first case in Gorakhpur district, which was reported on Thursday.

Seventy-year old mother of Bikao lamented that members of his family had applied for BPL card but due to apathetic attitude of the officials and politics in the village they could not benefit under the scheme. Jamnahia Tola, part of Dumri Khas village, has become a symbol of poverty over the past one decade.

According to reports Bikao was working on Rs 10 a day wage at a private school at Sonbarsa Bazar. This money was not enough to support his family that consisted of his mother, mentally challenged brother along with his two daughters. Though the family survived on one meal a day, this also stopped once Bikao was terminated from his service recently. Kalawati Devi, a resident of the village, said the names of Bikao and his family members were missing from the list of 150 members who were selected for job cards. However, village head Radheshyam denied that Bikao had applied for job cards.

It is to be noted that Dumri Khas village that has a population of 9,000 villagers, is divided into 16 Tolas and there are three PDS outlets. However, Bikao and his family members had no grain cards.

Meanwhile, BJP MP Yogi Adityanath made spot inspection and lambasted the State government for starvation death.

He even said that job cards and BPL cards were being provided only to goonda elements and needy people were deprived of welfare facilities. He demanded suspension of the block development officer, SDM and other employees for their apathetic attitude. Meanwhile, the SDM along with subordinate officials, had reached the village to console the bereaved family members.