Pithoragarh: Residents of a tribal village right here ran to a close-by forest when a group of district well being staff got here to their doorsteps lately to check them for Covid-19.
Kuta Chaurani village is inhabited by Banrawats – an endangered tribe.
The shy tribals fled to the adjoining forest on getting details about the arrival of a Covid testing group of their village on Friday, Didihat SDM KN Goswami stated on Sunday.
“While we could test residents of Aultari and Jamtari villages, those living in Kuta Chaurani fled to the forest, the SDM said.
The Banrawat community was declared a primitive tribe on the verge of extinction by the Government of India in 1967.
“Over 500 members of this extremely endangered tribe reside in eight localities of Didihat sub division. We had despatched our corona testing group to Aultari, Jamtari and Kuta Chaurani villages to check them. A complete of 191 members of the neighborhood from Aultari and Jamtari got here ahead to bear the check however residents of Kuta Chaurani fled to the forests to keep away from checks,” Goswami said.
“The villagers have been afraid that the swab strip taken for the check would infect them,” the SDM said.
Jagat Singhingh Rajwar, an elderly member of the community from Kuta Chaurani village, said the swab tester could cause further infection to them.
“We are able to go for a well being verify, take medicines however don’t comply with let the strip enter our physique, ” Rajwar said.
According to the SDM, his team has persuaded some literate members of the community to create awareness among the locals about the necessity of the tests.
“We will make one other try to check them in two-three days,” Goswami said.
Sanju Pant, coordinator of Didihat youth society, said corona kits have been distributed among some members of the community after taking them into confidence.
The administration has also been informed about the poor conditions in which the members of the endangered tribal community are forced to live with no work for them due to the coronavirus lockdown, Pant said.
“We have requested the administration to distribute shopper items apart from meals materials to the neighborhood members,” he said.
The SDM said packets of spices, edible oil and other essential items besides food packets have been distributed among them for free.
According to Didihat youth society sources, the community is facing dire shortage of essential goods as there is no earning for them due to the lockdown.
“If their plight will not be addressed, they may face starvation and dying,” Pant said.
SDM Didihat said he has written to the block development officer of Didihat and the district development officer of Pithoragarh to give members of the community work under the MGNREGA.
“We is not going to let the neighborhood face starvation. We preserve a vigil on them by means of our income officers lest they need to face any scarcity of meals,” he stated.
