No food, work: A tribe fades

‘‘Prompt medical help was rushed to the village following reports that two families were affected by diarrhoea and dysentery, but it was too late,’’ says Yadav, in charge of a project for Kamars.

In Raipur, they are busy passing the buck. Says P C Delei, Principal Secretary, Tribal Development: ‘‘It’s the social welfare or health and family welfare departments that looks after these issues’’.

Meanwhile, in 100 per cent illiterate Phaspani, the Kamars struggle to survive on boiled wild roots mixed with handfuls of rice. The lucky few—four actually—are the children who trek to a primary school for the mid-day meal.

Says Sukhmat Bai, 28, who lost two daughters—Sunita (5) and Sonia (4)—to malnutrition: ‘‘There was nothing to eat at home. What should we do?’’ Her husband Dukhu Ram, a farm worker, is out of work. ‘‘This year, there was no relief work (under the food-for-work programme),’’ he says. Most of his time is spent in the forest, collecting karu-kandha (wild roots), to feed his family.

Kamars are among the six tribes exempted from the family planning drive because of their dwindling population. Yet, officials say that only two or three children survive in every family due to malnutrition and anaemia.

Next door, the silence at Punia Bai’s house tells her story. Bai, mother of three, was among the four who died due to malnutrition, along with her two-year-old son Phagan.

Three years ago, recalls Sukhmat Bai, the state government provided them with some land under the Kamar Project. But that was of no use since they didn’t have any bulls to till the land.

Yadav says the administration is now working to plug that loophole: ‘‘We are going to provide then with bulls soon.’’

Alcoholism is another big killer in these parts. During summer, officials say, the Kamars collect wild fruit from the forests to brew their own liquor. ‘‘When that runs out, they buy the stuff from local bootleggers. There have been instances in some villages when Kamar tribals have sold off their bulls and land for liquor,’’ they say.

Dukhu Ram admits that a fair amount of the 50 kg of rice that his family got after his children died was bartered for liquor. ‘‘Liquor is a necessity. It’s part of our culture. Our men can miss food, not alcohol. Even I too need to drink sometimes, when I feel tired or hungry,’’ says Sukhmat Bai.

Says Onkar Shah, local Congress MLA: ‘‘Some of the families who have been provided with land and bulls have managed to overcome their backwardness and poverty. But this is limited to 20 to 25 per cent.’’