Hunger Death of Nageena Musahar:

Hunger Death of Nageena Musahar:Case

Nageena Musahar R/O Village Dhogara, Block:Fazilnagar,District:Kushinagar of UP,India died of Hunger on 27 October 2004.
The matter of hunger death of Nageena and imminent starvation being faced by other musahars of his village Dhoghara were raised by fact-finding team of Right to Food Campaign, UP before National Human Rights Commission and Supreme Court’s Commissioner and both constitutional bodies issued notice to Chief secretary of UP and DM of Kushinagar. Musahar Vikas Pahal Samiti and Musahar Manch organized a procession before the office of Block Development Officer which attracted the attention of media persons and as a result local media highlighted the matter in newspapers on front page in all edition of UP. After the massive intervention of RTFC and its partners and associates,Ms. Prabhawati wife of Nageena Musahar was given ten thousand rupees under National Family benefit scheme and Indira Awas by district administration.96 AAY-red cards were distributed among Musahar and twenty AAY-red cards which were kept by Kotedar were released in favour of Musahar and due to this all musahar families have AAY-red ration cards. ICDS center was opened in the Musahar community. There are so many charity organizations came forward to help the starving Musahars.Health department of Kushinagar organized health camps in the village. Kotedar Sampat Gupta fraudulently had taken loans in the names of 45 Musahars against whom RC issued by Bank. District administration of Kushinagar started an enquiry and ordered to cancel the RC issued against Musahar . SDM cancelled the kota of Sampat Gupta and FIR was lodged against him under Essential Commodities Act. The investigation was carried out against upper caste people and feudal forces who have taken the land of Musahar by illegal means and cases were filed in the court of SDM against responsible persons. There was constructed a road linking the Musahar community. The outcome of the whole intervention is that that District Magistrate issued order that Musahar community should be given first priority in all food security schemes and in land allotment.

UN Right to Food Mission to India

Right to food Campaign,UP meets UN Special Rapporteur

Jean Ziegler, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food, visited India in an official mission from August 20 to September 1. Besides official and unofficial talks Mr. Ziegler and his delegation visited food insecure areas in North Delhi and looked into cases of violations of the right to food in Madhya Pradesh and Orissa.
On August 22 FIAN India organized a round table meeting with the Special Rapporteur in Delhi, with FIAN participants from different parts of the country and members from other organizations and networks. Mr.Harsh Mander, Special Commissioner on the Right to Food case of the Indian Supreme Court,Ashok Sinha of Actionaid,Lenin and Sanjai Rai of Right to food Camapign,UP and hunger victims Prabhawati wife of Nageena Musahar,Vishambhar-a dalit weaver also participated.
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Core team,RTFC,UP

Sadhna in PEM 4th grade as certified by Institute of Medical sciences and SS Hospital BHU,Varanasi: intervention of NHRC

The families from which these children belong are living on the razor edge of the survival with no land and food security as a result the children who are the state responsibility and future of are country are living on the brink of survival, suffering from acute malnutrition and hunger.

Below is the testimony of a Sadhna, 2years belonging to village Rudauli, district Mirzapur, who was suffering diagnosed to be in PEM IV Grade and suffering from Keratomalacia when admitted to the S.S.Hospital of Institute of Medical Science, BHU.The discharge record shows that at the time of discharge her PEM status was upgraded to PEMIII, but still she was suffering from Keratomalacia

Journey from death to survival

Sadhna is struggling hard to take a breath; she is reduced to a skeleton. Exposing her ribs, she finds it difficult to even lift up her small eyelids. Tumbling while walking, she becomes a little full of energy when talked about food. A four years old child can be compared to a sixty year old person, with each bone has worn-out the flesh and there are wrinkles every where. Her height can be compared to a two and a half old child. Cradling in the arms of her grandmother, Sadhna lies meek and hopeless. She is admitted to Vatsalya Hospital, Varanasi.

Her father, Vijay,a dalit weaver is unemployed since past eight months as a result of which his four years old daughter Sadhna is suffering from severe malnutrition and Anemia. Helplessly Vijay send his wife and four years old daughter to his in-laws house at Rassipatti,Varanasi. But the condition of his in-laws is no better as a result of which Sadhna had become severely malnourished and anemic .She lies at the brink of survival. To save the life of his niece took her to Dr.Rajendra Pathak for her treatment that referred her to Sir Sundarlal Hospital. He told that since months the child has not been receiving proper food as a result of which she has become anemic and needs blood. She was admitted in the hospital on 23/9/04,where she was diagnosed to be suffering from PEM IV th grade and Keratomalacia in the right eye, but her condition has not improved.

PVCHR, Varanasi, got Sadhna Admitted to Vatsalya Hospital, Varanasi. Sadhna is recovering fast, but the rescue came to her a little late, she has lost her eyesight.



The above case is not the alone there are many in which children who are the future of our country are the victims of starvation and hunger. Who can be held responsible for the situation? Is it the government who makes powerful policies on paper but fail in its implementation, or is it the citizens who are not questioning the government for their basic rights. Till date Sadhna Family is aloof from getting any Government benefits or schemes. He does not possess an antyodya card.

After the complain by Right to Food Campaign, eastern UP, NHRC issued the notice to District Magistrate stated that let the complaint be transmitted to D.M. Varanasi, Uttar pradesh to look into the grievance. Action taken be reported in four weeks.( Case no.2583/24/2005-2006/UC).