Three Musahars dead in 12 days in Kushinagar dist

Gorakhpur: Three members of the marginalised Musahar community, including a five-year-old girl, have died at Rampurpatti village under Dudahi block of Kushinagar district in the past 12 days, in a grim reminder of as many deaths in the same block in October 2018.

Kushinagar district magistrate Anil Singh, who visited Dudahi on Sunday and gave an ex gratia amount of Rs 10,000 to each of the bereaved families, has denied malnutrition.

He has directed the chief medical officer and the in-charge of Dudahi community health centre (CHC) to find out how and why the deaths occurred.

Activists, however, have insisted that the three deaths last year were caused by malnutrition and the same couldn’t be ruled out this time either.

The deceased have been identified as five-year-old Reema who died on August 5 following fever; Beepat (28), a diabetes and TB patient, who breathed his last on August 15; and 17-year-old Bhadri who died on Saturday, also following fever.

“They were all being treated by private practitioners. In fact, Beepat was referred to the district hospital by the CHC, but he instead went to a private doctor. We have given Rs 10,000 to each of the deceased family. More aid will be provided under various schemes,” Singh said.

Asked if hunger and malnutrition played a role in the deaths, the DM maintained that the families had ration cards and enough food.

“The cause of death is not malnutrition, but disease,” he stressed.

Social worker Umesh Gupta begged to differ. “Last year, too, three Musahars had died in Dudahi block owing to malnutrition. However, the health authorities never accepted it. They claimed disease,” he said.

According to Gupta, Rampurpatti village and its residents were among the most neglected in terms of hygiene and nutrition.

“People here are so poor that they don’t get enough food to eat. There is no drainage system and waterlogging is frequent, which again is detrimental to health. Also, 80% toilet construction is pending,” the activist added.