Jharkhand Govt. asked to comment on reported starvation deaths
New Delhi, 5 October 2004
Taking suo-motu cognizance of a news story about 14 starvation deaths in Jharkhand, the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission, Dr. Justice A.S. Anand has directed that a copy of the news item be sent to the Chief Secretary, Jharkhand and District Magistrate, Dumka and Palamu, Jharkhand to look into the report and submit their comments within two weeks.
The news item captioned "14 starvation deaths, says Congress" appeared in a national daily on 20 September 2004 wherein it was reported that the Opposition in Jharkhand claimed that at least 14 starvation deaths had occurred in the State within a month and asked the Arjun Munda-led NDA-Government to spell out the difference between 'starvation' and 'malnutrition'. The news report further stated that people die because they do not have enough to eat and have no access to treatment facilities. It has quoted that the Deputy Commissioners of Dumka and Palamu Districts as having denied the cases of starvation deaths in these districts but admitting to widespread malnutrition among the people particularly women and children.
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Taking suo-motu cognizance of a news story about 14 starvation deaths in Jharkhand, the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission, Dr. Justice A.S. Anand has directed that a copy of the news item be sent to the Chief Secretary, Jharkhand and District Magistrate, Dumka and Palamu, Jharkhand to look into the report and submit their comments within two weeks.
The news item captioned "14 starvation deaths, says Congress" appeared in a national daily on 20 September 2004 wherein it was reported that the Opposition in Jharkhand claimed that at least 14 starvation deaths had occurred in the State within a month and asked the Arjun Munda-led NDA-Government to spell out the difference between 'starvation' and 'malnutrition'. The news report further stated that people die because they do not have enough to eat and have no access to treatment facilities. It has quoted that the Deputy Commissioners of Dumka and Palamu Districts as having denied the cases of starvation deaths in these districts but admitting to widespread malnutrition among the people particularly women and children.
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