Hyderabad, August 23: While the drought situation in the State is expected to continue, with predictions of a scanty monsoon, a bunch of academicians and civil activists from the city raised demands for the implementation of the Right to Food act in the State.
Elaborating on the issue, Biraj Pattnayak, the Advisor to the Supreme Court on the Right to Food Case said that despite developmental initiatives, “around 40 per cent of the country’s population is still reeling with malnutrition, while an appalling 77 per cent are unable to spend more than Rs 20 per day for their food requirements.
” K S Gopal, the Director of the Centre for Environmental Concerns, who was also present at the venue noted that “food security should be at the top of the policy making process in the State, since Andhra Pradesh has widespread malnutrition.” Claiming that the measures presently being adopted to combat drought leaves room for improvement, Gopal added, saying that “drought situation analysis and measures should be taken beforehand, and not till the drought season is over, as it is done in the present scenario.” He concluded by saying that the State Government should consider the Food Security Act in order to safeguard the lives and well-being of the people.
” Pattnayak commented in this connection, saying that “the present situation is not one without hope, considering the white card BPL schemes launched by the State Government,” to which he added, saying that “the scope of the Act however has not been implemented in its full capacity, and its significance, given the considerable spread of poverty in urban and rural sectors in the State should gain paramount importance in the running of the State.” The forum of activists and intellectuals, including the likes of Kancha Ilaiah then passed a resolution to push for the Act in being regularised and prioritised in the State policy.
—Agencies