Mango Kernel Deaths In Odisha: Southern Division RDC Asks Collectors To Ensure Foolproof PDS Supplies

Bhubaneswar: In the wake of mango kernel deaths in Odisha’s Kandhamal, Revenue Divisional Commissioner (Southern Division) Roopa Roshan Sahoo has asked district Collectors in the region to ensure fool-proof PDS supplies through effective surveillance mechanism.

In a letter to all Collectors of southern division, the RDC underlined the need to conduct Gram Panchayat-level fortnightly meetings to ensure proper governance and service delivery.

“This is to reiterate the significance of ‘Gram Panchayat level fortnightly meetings’ as a non-negotiable mechanism for ensuring routine governance. It is in these meetings that entitlement-based service delivery, critical interventions, gaps if any, deficit is discussed. The proceedings of these meetings should reach your office for further necessary action every month without fail,” she said.

As part of this meeting, a certificate to the effect that PDS supplies have been allocated, made available and no consumer has been deprived of any entitled item, shall be furnished for every Panchayat respectively, the RDC said in her letter.

Details of these should be incorporated in the tour diary submitted every month to the RDC office.
Monthly meeting based on reports of fortnightly meetings at the level of G.P. should be held and proceedings perused for necessary action. The objective of the whole exercise is to ensure that no entitled consumer is deprived of any PDS (essential) commodity as per norms, the letter stressed.

The RDC’s instruction comes in the wake of the death two women after consumption of gruel made of mango kernel in Daringbadi block of Kandhamal district. Six others were also fell critically ill in the incident. Two of them are currently battling for life at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.

As the incident triggered statewide uproar, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has ordered a thorough probe by the RDC into the mango kernel episode.