Directive for constitution of food grain banks in all blocks
Jamshedpur, June 7: Following protests from the opposition over hunger deaths, State food and civil supplies minister and Jamshedpur West MLA Saryu Roy on
Thursday said two senior officials of his department have gone to
Giridih to probe into the reasons for death of a woman allegedly due
to starvation.
� We are trying our best to find out exact cause of deaths. We have
sent today two senior officials of the state food, public distribution
and consumer affairs department (joint secretary Vinay Kumar and
additional director Sanjay Kumar) to Giridih to probe into the entire
incident. We have asked the district administration to finalise
responsibility on why post mortem was not conducted on the woman when
there was allegation of hunger death,� said Saryu Roy.
The minister said that since the woman did not have ration card, the
food supplies department cannot be held responsible on the issue.
�We can only supply food grains to those who have ration cards. However, considering that there might be several persons who might not
be having ration cards despite best of attempts of the government, I
have written to the state chief secretary Sudhir Tripathi, yesterday
to issue directive for constitution of food grain banks in all blocks
of the state which will cater to those individuals who have failed to
have ration cards,� said Roy.
Congress has demanded resignation from Roy claiming that 11 persons
have died of hunger since September 2017 in different parts of the
state mostly due to failure in getting food grains under public
distribution system (PDS).
Addressing media, the minister showed to the media the medical reports
submitted by the district administration.
�As per report of Sabitri Devi she had medical history of acute
parenchymal haematoma and was admitted in RIIMS in January this year.
It is also learnt that two sons of the woman were working outside and
there was a woman SHG which used to donate food grains to those not
having foods. It is not clear whether she died of hunger. However, we
will wait for the report by the team,� said Roy.
The food, public distribution and consumer affairs department minister
has also written to all the deputy commissioners today that after
death of any persons, allegedly due to starvation, there should be
post mortem conducted on the deceased at any cost.
