Girl could not afford books and a Pencil attempts suicide in Ganjam

A 12-year-old girl studying in class VII attempted suicide in her home at Aska morning when her poor parents showed reluctance in getting her new notebooks needed in school.

The victim tried self-immolation after dousing herself with kerosene. She was admitted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital in the city. According to doctors treating her, she has received over 40 per cent burns.

The victim hailed from a very poor family of Jakabandhu Street of Aska. Her father was a carpenter who became paralytic a few months ago. Her mother was trying hard to bear the household expenses by working as domestic help in some houses at Aska. The couple have two sons and two daughters.

Speaking to newsmen at the hospital, Iswari said the girl had demanded new notebooks and stationery from her mother. She refused to go to school if she did not get new notebooks. But her mother, who did not have the money, coaxed her to go to school and went off to work.

The girl’s father was not at home. After her mother left the house, the girl had a quarrel with one of her brothers. Soon after, she attempted self immolation.

Neighbours noticed the fire in time and rescued the child, who was immediately shifted to MKCG medical college and hospital in the city. Source: The Hindu 

Suicide of the girl exposes cracks in govt. schemes

* The family of the girl, though poor, was not included in the BPL list

Suicide of a school going girl at Aska in Ganjam district of Odisha has brought to the fore some loopholes in the government programmes meant for the poor.

The 12-year-old girl studying in class VII had allegedly made an attempt to immolate herself on June 25 at her home when her poor parents refused to get her new notebooks and other stationery. She died in MKCG medical college and hospital in the city on June 26. According to the initial enquiry report of administration, the deceased girl had demanded new notebooks and an umbrella and her parents had bluntly denied it.

According to the orders of the Ganjam district collector, Prem Chand Choudhary, the district project coordinator of the Sarva Shikshya Abhiyan, district education officer, tehsildar and Block Development Officer (BDO) of Aska investigated the matter and submitted a report to the collector on Thursday.

This report accepted that the family of the victim was poor but it was not included in the BPL list. There are several poor families in the State which have not been included in the BPL list. Due to several reasons the BPL list has not been revised. As per the report under the Sarva Shikshya Abhiyan, the deceased girl had received school uniform as well as books. But there is no provision under Sarva Shikshya Abhiyan to provide free notebooks to students. But buying notebooks and stationery are also a major burden for economically backward families who find it hard to sustain their families in this time of severe price rise.

Speaking to The Hindu , Ganjam collector Mr. Choudhary said the administration is now trying to find ways to provide the family some succour.

The three other surviving school going children of the family cannot get any more assistance if they continue to study in the school as day scholars. “So, administration is planning to persuade their parents to allow their children to get admitted in a government residential school so that they could benefit from government schemes for poor students,” said the collector.

Family of the dead girl does not have a house and they cannot be provided a house under any rural housing scheme as the family now stays in a urban area like Aska. This family was originally from Dharakote area but had shifted to Aska for livelihood. The administration is also planning to include the family in some rural housing scheme at their own village.

Meanwhile, human rights activists have approached the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) and Central Human Rights Commission (HRC) to enquire into the case.

They have also demanded Rs. five lakh compensation for the family of the dead girl. Source: The Hindu