TV
The government is spending crores of rupees to bring the tribals to Odisha under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and provide rice as per the provision. Many more grants are also being provided and several non-governmental organizations are working to change their lifestyle. However, these efforts have proven inadequate to change the traditional food habits of the tribals which at times put their lives at risk.
Even though the government provides ration, tribals continue to consume mango kernel, bamboo flowers, various kinds of roots, dried meat and the local beverage salap (a tribal drink made from the sap extracted from the salap tree, a type of palm tree) as part of their traditional food habit. These traditional foods often lead to food poisoning due to lack of proper processing and conservation measures and as a result, several valuable lives are getting lost.
In one instance lately, at least two women died after allegedly consuming mango kernel at Mandipanka village under the Daringbadi block in Odisha’s Kandhamal district. The condition of six others, who had consumed kernel, is stated to be critical.
Following the tragic development, a question mark has been raised over the traditional food habits of the tribals in the State.
Take the case of Saraswati Mallick and her neighbours from the Mohana area in the Gajapati district. They collect mango kernel, bamboo flowers, roots and leaves of different trees and various kinds of mushrooms from the forests to prepare their traditional food items. They also preserve these things at their home for a long time. When they run out of rice and other grocery items, they prepare their traditional food items from the preserved stuff. This kind of practice is rampant among the tribals in Kandhamal, Koraput, Rayagada and Nabarangpur.
“We collect different food from the forests and preserve those for a long time as we don’t have money to buy potatoes and other vegetables,” said Saraswati Mallick, a resident of Mohana.
“The food collected from the forest could be preserved for a long time after drying those in the sun,” said Samni Kadraka, a resident of Niyamgiri.
As per food experts, the foodstuff collected from the lap of nature is not dangerous. However, food poisoning occurs at times due to a lack of proper processing and preservation measures. Lack of awareness among the tribals is the main reason behind it.
Though a special organisation of the government named Dongaria Kandha Development Agency (DKDA) has been set up since 1986 mainly to help tribals get elevated to the mainstream and change their social and food habits and many other projects like Kutia Kandha Development Agency (KKDA), Integrated
Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) and Livelihood Mission are also functioning for similar purposes, the traditional food habits among the tribals still continue.
Now questions are being raised as to why awareness is not created among the tribals to change their traditional food habits despite many deaths. Do the government and non-government organisations lack intent in this regard?
“The food collected from the forests by the tribals is not usually harmful. Those might have been contaminated,” said Dr Pradeep Padhy of MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur.
“Creating awareness among the tribals about their traditional food habits is definitely important. Moreover, if half of their food problems are getting solved under the Food Security Act, we should think about how to solve the rest of their problems,” said Kailas Dandapat, a social worker in Kandhamal.
As per the preliminary investigation, it has been learnt that two persons died due to food poisoning in Kandhamal recently. To ascertain the reason behind the deaths, samples of the food and drink items have been sent to the Food Safety Agency for testing and the report will come in 72 hours.
Meanwhile, Odisha Food Supplies Minister Krushna Chandra Patra informed that all the villagers of Mandipanka village including the family members of the two persons who died by consuming mango kernel have been provided rice by the State government.
According to Minister Patra, the district administration and the Health Department have conducted an inquiry following the incident. Some persons fell ill and two of them died due to food poisoning as they consumed mango kernel with water rice as per their age-old habit.
“All the 69 families of the village including the family members of the persons who died have been provided rice for July, August and September and they have a sufficient amount of rice. Rice is currently being distributed for the month of October, November and December. It’s not correct that they died due to lack of supply of rice,” said Minister Patra.
