Hunger Deaths in the district of Purulia

Case Study of two hunger deaths from the same family in Puncha, Purulia

Names of the deceased: Smt Jyotsna Gorai (61 years) and Shri Jhantu Gorai (36 years)

Smt. Jyotsna Gorai and Shri Jhantu Gorai, residing in Puncha Gram Panchayat of Puncha block in Purulia have died on 18^th October, 2020 and 28^th October, 2020 respectively out of their inability to access food for a considerable period of time. A widow, Smt. Jyotsna Gorai was staying with the family of his younger son (Shri Jhantu Gorai) in a dilapidated dwelling unit which in turn was built by her maternal family. The family consisted of the deceased individuals, wife of Shri Jhantu Gorai and their two girl children aged seven and four years respectively. Being landless agricultural labourers, the family of five was at a considerable disadvantage in having access to basic necessities. The son is a specially-abled individual which restricted his ability to contribute to the household income. A PHH (Priority Household) ration card and a job card of NREGA (public works programme implemented according to the MGNREGA, 2005) were found to be possessed by the family. Though the absence of a bank account, virtually made them unable to access the latter programme. Smt Tuktuki Gorai, the daughter-in-law was the only earning member and even she was not able to work for long hours due to general weakness. The lady used to work as a cook in the Mid Day Meal programme and due to closure of educational institutions in the state on account of COVID-19 restrictions, she has not been able to earn her wages. The lady was found to be frail and emaciated. She has not been able to earn a daily wage of more than ₹50 on days where she has been able to work in the nearby agricultural fields.

Smt. Jyotsna Gorai fell seriously ill around five months ago and the family was not able to get her treated at any medical facility. The nationwide lockdown and the sudden loss of opportunities to participate in any unskilled work had a negative impact on the household. Food grains received through the PDS (Public Distribution System) were inadequate and with the fall in household income, the landless family also failed to gain access to other necessary food items. The morning breakfast consisted of a ‘chapati’ and black tea. Boiled rice and potatoes were the usual food items available for lunch and the family reportedly did not have enough food to prepare a dinner on most of the days. The household income was virtually nil for a period of four long months. Closing down of the ‘anganwadi’ centres and the intermittent supply of dry rations to eligible beneficiaries also imposed further constraints on the household to meet their daily food requirements. The panchayat pradhan, block sabhapati and the Block Development Officer of Puncha were approached by the family for possible help in accessing adequate food. The family even went to the local police station for help. Only a civic police volunteer visited the family once and food ration(s) or food kits were neither provided by the civil nor by the police administration.

Smt. Jyotsna Gorai’s health condition deteriorated with acute pain in the abdominal region along with cramps. She was taken to the Puncha Block Primary Health Centre and further referred to the Bankura Medical College and Hospital after a preliminary diagnosis. Unfortunately, she was refused treatment at the Bankura district hospital citing Covid-19 protocols. The maternal family of the woman tried to take her to a medical facility in Ranchi (Jharkhand) on being refused treatment and any assistance in facilitating her admission to any other government run facility. She breathed her last in Ranchi on 18^th October, 2020. In the meanwhile, Shri Jhantu Gorai’s condition started to deteriorate and he complained about severe stomach ache on 26^th October, 2020 along with swelling in his abdomen. He was taken to the Puncha Block Primary Health Centre on the next day and breathed his last on 28^th October, 2020. 

Younger son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren of Smt. Jyotsna Gorai in front of the family’s shelter               

Vulnerability Profiling: Purulia is home to a predominantly rural population, with a significant scheduled tribe and scheduled caste population. Around 45% of the population are not literate with more than half of the population dependent on manual casual labour[1]. The extreme vulnerability of a household residing in one of the rural parts of the district with no land holdings or any other durable assets is evident from such a profile. Purulia also happens to be one of the districts of the ‘Jangalmahal’ area (a region with considerable forest cover which was affected by left wing extremism) where the implementation of vital rights based legislations has not been in their true spirits to say the least.

Lack of access to a bank account and any other social security schemes (particularly the old age pension and disability pension schemes) point towards the exclusion of the household and the violation of their constitutional right to an exploitation – free, dignified life. Lack of access to quality healthcare and the denial of treatment in a district medical hospital highlight the vulnerability of the family, in addition to being a violation of article 21 of the Indian constitution.

The family does not fulfil even one criterion for automatic exclusion of households according to the laid down guidelines of the SECC, 2011. Further, the nature of their dwelling unit and other factors warrant their identification as a deprived household, fulfilling three conditions of deprivation out of seven. The conditions of deprivation fulfilled by the household have been identified to be as follows:

1. Households without a ‘pucca’ roof

2. Households without a literate adult above the age of 25

3. Landless households deriving a major part of their income from manual labour

With the death of Shri Jhantu Gorai, the household has further slipped in the deprivation index and the criterion of a household being a female headed one, with no adult male member between 16 and 59 years of age gets added onto the existing list of ‘conditions of deprivation’.

The interiors of the Gorai household

Our immediate demands from the administration:

The following measures should be taken immediately by the block and district administrations to support the household in confronting challenges owing its socio-economic condition:

·         Releasing GR (General Ration) for the household

·         A comprehensive medical checkup of Smt Tuktuki Gorai and her children with access to nutritional supplements

·         Upgrading the existing PHH (Priority Household) ration card to that of a AAY (Antyodaya Anna Yojana) ration card

·         Facilitating the opening of a ‘Jan Dhan’ bank account in the name of Smt Tuktuki Ghorai, the widow of Shri Jhantu Gorai

·         Extending benefits of the West Bengal Widow Pension Scheme, 2010 to Smt Tuktuki Ghorai

·         Enrolment of the household under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana- Gramin to address the need of a ‘pucca’ dwelling unit

·         Facilitating the access to unskilled work through MGNREGA, 2005 for Smt Tuktuki Gorai and allotment of work sites wherein crèches will be made available. This will enable her girl children to have access to a safe environment during the working hours of their mother.

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[1] SECC, 2011