May 8th 2024.
The small villages of Nagada, nestled in the forested areas under the Chingudipal panchayat in Jajpur district, have gained quite a bit of attention in 2016. Unfortunately, it was not for any good reason. The tragic death of 19 children due to malnutrition shook the entire nation and brought to light the ongoing struggles faced by the villagers, especially the children.
It has been almost eight years since the incident, but the situation has not improved for the inhabitants of these villages. As the sources reveal, the scarcity of food has forced many children to leave their homes and migrate to other cities in search of work. Most of the residents of Nagada belong to the Juang community, one of the primitive tribal groups in Odisha. In response to this tragedy, the state government had launched several schemes for the development of infrastructure, poverty alleviation, and healthcare facilities in the villages.
An amount of Rs 23 crore was sanctioned for the construction of roads, installation of drinking water facilities, and providing electricity to the villages. However, the villagers continue to live in poverty despite these efforts. This year, it has been reported that 28 tribal minors, both boys and girls, have left for Balasore and Bhubaneswar to work as daily wagers. They were promised a salary of Rs 7,000 per month, but the reality has turned out to be quite different. The middlemen who helped them secure these jobs are now exploiting them by paying less and demanding them to work for long hours without any breaks or food.
One of the boys who managed to escape and return to his village shared his harrowing experience. He and his fellow workers were made to work for more than 12 hours a day, and when they asked for their wages, they were paid a meager amount of Rs 3,000 for two months. This exploitation of the vulnerable and desperate villagers is not new. Despite the mineral-rich Sukinda Valley, the locals and tribals rarely get the opportunity to work in these mines. Instead, outsiders are brought in, and the locals are left to suffer in poverty.
The villagers of Nagada are frustrated and feel neglected by the state government. They have been voting for their representatives every five years, but their lives have not seen any significant improvement. The district officials claim that the government has spent nearly Rs 100 crore for the development of this area, but the reality is far from it. The Juang community has also lost their traditional way of making a living by collecting minor forest produce due to the rampant deforestation in the area. Even though they receive free rice from the government every month, it is not enough to sustain them.
Despite numerous attempts to contact the Sukinda BDO Abhishek Swain, there has been no response from him. The villagers continue to struggle, and it seems that their suffering will not end anytime soon. It is a sad reality that the government's efforts have not brought about any transformation in the lives of these villagers. They are still trapped in the vicious cycle of poverty and exploitation.
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