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Dear Reader,
In 2021, the Union government mandated that only "fortified rice" -- regular rice mixed with iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid -- be provided in its schemes for the poor. While well-intentioned, experts had warned that the rice might not be suitable for individuals suffering from severe forms of genetic diseases; it could impair immunity and potentially lead to organ failure.
When a civil society organisation approached the Supreme Court of India to highlight the dangers of fortified rice without adequate warnings for the at-risk population, the government responded by removing the requirement for a warning altogether.
An investigation by The Reporters' Collective finds that the justification for removing the need for a 'warning label' was based on a "scientific committee report," which relied heavily on an "informal, undocumented" discussion with a "spurious expert". Moreover, the pilot tests conducted by the government to gauge the efficacy of fortified rice were "fundamentally flawed”.
Incestual sexual assaults have the most profound and brutal impact on survivors. In India, "35% of those who are sexually assaulted within families are aged between 12 and 15", and they undergo severe trauma and long-term psychological consequences. The fact that the attacker is a familiar family member makes it especially devastating, brutal and complex for the survivors.
Article 14 examines the challenges and trauma young survivors face. It details solutions and "specialised approaches", which include financial support (since the abuser is usually the sole breadwinner for the family), provision of shelter homes, destigmatising these cases, and institutionalising counsellors at the school level to ensure that their learning is not disrupted.
In August, the death of a migrant worker from Kerala, Sandeep Chandran of Thrissur, in the Russia-Ukraine war zone caused surprise and anger. What added to the ire was the apprehension that Sandeep was not the only one and that many other workers from India and Kerala were still "stuck" in the war zone.
Keraleeyam Masika speaks to a worker rescued from the war zone to narrate a first-hand account of how unscrupulous and illegal recruiters are exploiting the relative lack of jobs in the state. Through allurements and under false pretences, young men are taken to a war they did not sign up for and have no stake in.
And, after the recent floods in Chandauli district in Uttar Pradesh, a severe diarrheal outbreak has struck villages in the Mughalsarai, Sakaldiha, and Niyamatabad areas. Contaminated water, stagnant floodwaters and inadequate sanitation have exacerbated the crisis, leading to child deaths.
Janchowk reports that despite previous outbreaks, the local health department's preparedness and response remain woefully inadequate, inefficient, and marked by lack of resources. Villagers endure contaminated drinking water and limited medical support, underscoring the area's deep-rooted infrastructural and public health challenges.
For more such stories from the grantees this week, please read on.
Warmly,
Sunil Rajshekhar
IPSMF
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