Karnataka: Complaints and negligence in distribution of nutritious food

Some members of the Koraga community, an extremely backward tribal community living in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts, have complained that they have been neglected even in the distribution of nutritious food. Many people from this community suffer from anemia and malnutrition. In view of this, the government is distributing nutritious food to needy families. Food items such as eggs, ghee, oil, gram flour, sugar, jaggery, gram flour, rice, etc. are being distributed to them with the aim of improving their health. However, the community alleges that the nutritious food being supplied recently is of very poor quality. The leaders of the Koraga community have complained that despite bringing the issue of poor quality food distribution to the notice of the authorities, there has been no benefit. K. Putran, coordinator of the Karnataka-Kerala Federation of Koraga Development Associations, said, “Food items are not being distributed every month.

Food grains of two or three months are being distributed together. Eggs distributed to many families recently were spoiled. Sunflower oil was also of poor quality. Chickpeas had turned white.” “Many people from the Koraga community are still suffering from various diseases. As a result of our struggle in the past, the state government started providing us nutritious food. Now, we are being treated unfairly again by providing poor quality food,” he said. “Those providing poor quality food should be blacklisted. The government should be careful that this does not happen in the future. Earlier we were given jaggery in the food kits. Now it has been stopped and sugar is being distributed. We don’t want sugar, we should be distributed jaggery,” he also demanded. K. Putran, Coordinator, Koraga Development Association, Karnataka-Kerala