Report sent by Solidarity Committee for Internally Displaced Tribals (Andhra Pradesh),

16 October 2010.

Now wage labour, starving family after forced to leave 20 acres of land and 30 cattle

On 23 September 2010, a young couple along with their 3 male children approached the mobile

health team being run by an NGO that is working for the displaced tribal from Chattisgarh with a

complaint that their 3rd

son, who is 10 days old, stopped sucking mother’s milk for the past 24

hours.

Not only the mother, the child and the entire family including father and other 2 children are also

looked like severe anemic and not at all eating properly from so many days.

The only available advice to that family was to rush to Area Government hospital, Bhadrachalam

without delay. As they were prepared to go to the hospital the mobile team has decided to take

them to the hospital in Bhadrachalam in the mobile health team’s vehicle, to avoid delay.

All the above photos are taken on 23 September 2010, in the hospital- photos covered - younger

child, ten days old; both the younger children in the hospital bed; mother with the child and the

family

The team reached the hospital in the evening, and treatment was started for the mother and 2

younger children as they were severely anemic.

After four days of treatment, two children and mother was referred to Nutrition and

Rehabilitation Center (NRC), being run by the ITDA, Bhadrachalam.

In Bhadrachalam for the past 15 years an NRC is being run by the ITDA where anemic children

and the mothers are provided treatment till they recover normal; in the NRC, patients will be

given 3 times quality food and required medicine. Treatment in the NRC will be given on a long

term basis for which one should stay one week to three weeks, depending on the severity. But the

Chattisgarh tribe hesitates to join and stay in the NRC because the staffs in NRC are not familiar

with their language and these tribal are ill-treated and discriminated. To overcome the situation

the NGO, working for the displaced chattisgarh tribal appointed female staffs who know their

language to look after their needs and offer required counseling and support. She also maintains

a brief profile of each family of Chattisgarh tribal, joined in NRC.

On the enquiry some details of this family was gathered: Madivi Nanda son of Pandu about 25

years old, along with his wife, Chukki (20 years) and two sons Somudu (5 years) and Budra (3

years) came to Kukunur forest area of Khammam district from Duleed of Chattisgarh, two years

back.

Madivi nanda said that they came to Khammam to escape violence, threats and attacks from the

Salwa Judum. His family owns 20 acres of land and 30 cattle in their native village but he came

here with only 4 cows and 2 quintals of food grains.

To support their family Nanda and his wife started coolie work in the adjacent villages

particularly in the cotton, mirch (chili) and tobacco fields. In initial days both were attending

the coolie and were getting Rs. 60/- each. Later, when his wife became pregnant, her health

condition slowly deteriorated and she was unable to do labour work. Then their wage from

labour work decreased day by day, the food intake of the family also reduced and they all were

pushed into all sorts of crisis.

Treatment given in NRC:

In NRC it was found that Budra, the second son (3 years) is only 4.87 kg and the youngest son

(15 days old) weighed only 1.5 kg and both were declared as 4th

grade malnourished. The mother

and her 2 children were admitted in NRC for 2 weeks and discharged on 12th

October, 2010.

While they were discharged they were strictly advised to have good food such as milk, mutton,

vegetables, green leaves, fruits, etc for at least 3 months that would help improving their health

condition.

The above photos are taken on 12 October 2010, in the NRC, Bhadrachalam on the day of their

discharge.