-The Hindu
At a time when Karnataka is in the news for increase in the number of malnourished children, the Jana Arogya Andolana Karnataka (JAAK), an NGO working in the field of health, has come out with a portal on hunger
The portal, www.republicofhunger.org, is aimed at conveying to people the depth of the problem and will serve as a watchdog, and examine the claims of the State Government regarding the issue and dispute them whenever necessary.
According to a spokesperson of the NGO, the portal has been set up with the hope of encouraging public discussion on the politics of malnutrition and initiating actions against the State’s apathy. “This initiative comes in the wake of the recent child deaths due to malnutrition in Raichur and the Public Interest Litigation filed in the High Court of Karnataka on the issue,” the spokesperson said.
“Although several people’s movements and rights-based organisations have demanded critical changes in policy and programmes, the Government has gone on the offensive refusing to acknowledge any failure on its part. The portal is also aimed at providing real stories on malnutrition in Karnataka through the activists of JAAK, who are actively monitoring the hunger and malnutrition scene,” she said.
The portal will also provide basic information and resources on malnutrition, challenge popular misconceptions about it, raise critical questions and examine its existence in the democratic context.
“The portal will be a reference point for policy-makers, journalists, lawyers, activists on hunger and malnutrition,” she added.