2008 Hunger Alerts
INDIA: Two and a half year-old girl died from starvation after her house was destroyed by the village head
Namitha, the daughter of Doodh Nath Pal died on 6 November 2008 from acute starvation. Doodh is 45 years old, son of Late Kharpattu and resident in Gokulpur village, Harhuaa Post Office, Badagoan Police Station, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh. He is from the other backward classes (OBC) and a landless labourer. He has lived in this village for 20 years, has a voter identity card and has voted in a number of elections.
INDIA: Three and a half-year-old boy may die from acute malnutrition
Vishal is the youngest son of Gulam Nut. Vishal resides with his parents in Kuwar Village of Baragaon block under Pindra Tahsil of Varanasi District in Uttar Pradesh state. Vishal is three and a half years old and is suffering from acute malnutrition. He has two sisters, Luxmina (eight years old) and Gunja (six years old), and one brother Kirana (five years old).
GENERAL (India): Corruption in public service promotes starvation and malnutrition in Uttar Pradesh
As mentioned in the AHRC's previous urgent appeal, three-year-old Pritam died of hunger on 24 November 24 2007. Pritam was diagnosed as suffering from Grade IV malnourishment (Protein Energy Malnutrition; PEM) and Pneumonia at the Ashopur Primary Health Centre (PHC, register No. 9579) of Tanda Block, Ambedkar Nagar district, on 13 April 2007. Three-year-old Pritam weigh only 5 kilograms at that time. (Please see further: UA-333-2007)
INDIA: Neglect by government aggravates poverty of Dalits in Varanasi
Ms. Kalawati Nat (age 45) is from the Nat community of Kuwar village, Baragaon Block in Varanasi district. She begs to support her four children, often by going around in ten villages each day. Her children collect vegetables left by farmers in the field but are often chased away by the farmers. Kalawati and her children find it difficult to manage even one meal a day. Sometimes they catch a wild animal such as snake to eat. When they can make a meal, they simply eat rice or potatoes.
INDIA: A three-year-old girl is struggling from malnutrition
Poonam is three years and four months old and is the youngest daughter of Jiya Lai Mushar, resident of the village Dallipur Fattepur in Baragaon block in Varanasi district. On the 28 August 2007, Ponam was diagnosed as malnourished but with the help of PVCHR she was able to receive treatment. However, Poonam's health continued to deteriorate and she became severely malnourished. She was diagnosed as Grade III malnourished by the Primary Health Centre in Newada and weighed only 6 kilograms and 800 grams.
INDIA: A three-year-old girl may die from acute starvation in Varanasi
Gudia is three and half-year old and is the daughter of Mr. Sanjay Kumar Gaur. Kumar's family resides at Soyepur Madwa in Harahua block of Varanasi district. Gudia was born under weighed and was blind at birth. Gudia is the youngest and the third child in the family. The family belongs to the Gaur community in Uttar Pradesh. The Gaur being a scheduled caste community, they are considered untouchable by the dominant upper caste Hindus in India.
INDIA: State government fails to punish corrupt shopkeeper who runs a ration shop in Varanasi
On 7 March 2008 the Sant Ravidas Nagar district government issued an order to dismiss the contract of Mr. Mithlesh Kumar, the PDS shopkeeper of Gohilawn village and to merge this PDS shop with the PDS shop in Arjunpur village, Bhadohi Block which is run by Mr. Mohammad Aziz.
GENERAL (India): Emergency assistance must be given to the poor living in Maharajganj district
One hundred and thirty six Kanjar families live in slums of Jai Prakash Nagar and Indira Nagar wards of Sadar Block in Maharajganj district. The Kanjars are categorised as the Schedule Caste in India. The Scheduled caste community is considered as untouchable in India by the caste Hindus. The Kanjar community, who were once a nomadic group, has neither adequate livelihood nor adequate housing at present. They are landless and live in mud huts covered with plastic sheets which are unsafe to live in during the rainy season. This miserable situation created the several deaths in Kanjar community.
GENERAL (India): Alleged corruption by village authorities results in lack of food and adequate housing for the poor in Uttar Pradesh
Mr. Panna Lal Musahar belongs to the Musahar community of Mahboobpur village, Sant Ravidas Nagar district, Uttar Pradesh, India. He lives with eight family members.
INDIA: Nine families suffer from hunger due to alleged corruption and negligence
Nine Musahar families in Khargupur village, Sevapuri Block, Varanasi district received the government assistance for their housings in 2003. They were given Indian Rupees 10,000 (USD 263) respectively from Sirhiri branch of the Union Bank of India.
INDIA: Four-year-old boy died from malnutrition in Uttar Pradesh
Khusbuddin died of malnutrition on 6 February 2008. Khusbuddin was four years old and the son of late Mr. Mohammad Matin. Khusbuddin was suffering from Grade IV malnutrition.
INDIA: Two-year-old girl may die of malnutrition in Uttar Pradesh
Anjali, daughter of Mr. Shiv Nath Bhar, is two years old. On 4 January 2008, Anjali was identified to be suffered from Grade III malnutrition at the Primary Health Centre (PHC) of Baragaon Block. The medical report was verified by the Anganwadi worker Ms. Pushpa Tiwari who registered Anjali at the Anganwari Centre (Child care centre). Anjali has been suffering from starvation since the past few months.
INDIA: Yet another person dies from starvation in Uttar Pradesh
Mr. Teras Ram was aged about 45 years and was a handloom weaver. He is from the Chamar community of Baisa village in Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh state. Due to the decline in the handloom weaving industry, Ram was finding it difficult to make a living from weaving. So Ram started to sell sweets and salt door to door for exchange of old goods. From this he managed about 20 – 25 Rupees (USD 0.5-0.6) a day.
