Odisha CM Orders Inquiry Into Death Of Tribal Women For Consumption Of Mango Kernel

Bhubaneswar, Nov 5: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday ordered an RDC-level inquiry into the death of two women following the alleged consumption of mango kernel porridge at Madipanka village in Kandhamal district a couple of days back.

“Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has directed an RDC (revenue divisional commissioner) level inquiry into the mango kernel death issue in Kandhamal district,” the Chief Minister's Office said in a statement on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, a delegation of the opposition congress party on Tuesday met Governor Raghubar Das and submitted a memorandum seeking his intervention in the case.

“Had the food supplies been released on time in October, this incident and the loss of two precious lives could have been saved. Delay in food distribution violates the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and is a criminal offence,” the party alleged in the memorandum.

The party made several demands in the memorandum including monetary compensation of Rs 20 lakhs each for the family members of the two women who allegedly died after eating mango porridge, removal of Food and Supplies Minister Krushna Chandra Patra from state cabinet, sacking of the district collector of Kandhamal for gross negligence, etc.

The party also urged the governor to make a field visit to the affected village to assess the ground realities.

“As you are the constitutional custodian of tribal rights, we request your visit to these areas to witness the ground realities firsthand. Your presence will bring much-needed attention to the issues, helping to set many things back on track,” urged the party.

Notably, eight persons fell seriously ill after consuming mango kernel porridge and rice in Madipanka village in the Daringbadi area of Kandhamal district on October 29. All the sick persons were later admitted to the Community Health Center at Brahmanigaon where a lady succumbed the next day on October 30.

The doctors later refer the rest seven sick persons to the MKCG medical college and hospital at Berhampur in the Ganjam district.

On the basis of primary inquiry, the state government on Saturday clarified that food poisoning was the actual cause behind the unfortunate deaths.

--IANS