Woman sells baby for food !

[poonam]

AISA BHI HOTA HAI-- THE GRAVE TRUTH:

Ranchi, Sep 30: Driven by poverty, a woman in Jharkhand has sold her four month-old baby for Rs 900 to buy some food, local reports say.

The district administration has instituted a probe into the matter.

Meena, of Dhanbad district, sold her baby girl 11 days ago to a childless couple to "purchase some foodgrains". She says she was "unable to buy wheat from the public distribution system".

Meena said: "The money we got from the couple helped us to buy foodgrains to eat."

According to Meena's father S.R. Gupta, his daughter was "suffering from malnutrition and unable to keep the baby." He said his son-in-law was not able to earn money to "eke out a living for the family."

"We are facing poverty and had no option but to give away the baby to a couple who will look after her," he said.

Shivalal Mohali who "purchased" the baby claims he "adopted" her.

He said: "The entire process was done in the presence of villagers. We donated some money to the parents of the girl."

Beela Rajesh, deputy commissioner of Dhanbad, said: "I have directed the circle officer to find out the truth. We will react on the issue according to the probe report."

courtesy: http://autofeed.msn.co.in/pandorav3/output/News/90f3cd55-1ce9-4afe-859a-a7cc49d6492a.aspx

[rksehrawat]

Really sorry state of affairs. We talk big like becoming permanent member of UNSC, budget with a human face and so on and so forth, whereas in realty there were more 40% of people in our country who don't get two morsels of food for which they have to sell even their own children even in 21st century. Shame ! The Government is introducing reservation in jobs everywhere can't they reserve some food for the poor.


Dr. Poonam Sansanwal (Sep 30, 2004 05:18 p.m.):
AISA BHI HOTA HAI-- THE GRAVE TRUTH:

Ranchi, Sep 30: Driven by poverty, a woman in Jharkhand has sold her four month-old baby for Rs 900 to buy some food, local reports say.

The district administration has instituted a probe into the matter.

Meena, of Dhanbad district, sold her baby girl 11 days ago to a childless couple to "purchase some foodgrains". She says she was "unable to buy wheat from the public distribution system".

Meena said: "The money we got from the couple helped us to buy foodgrains to eat."

According to Meena's father S.R. Gupta, his daughter was "suffering from malnutrition and unable to keep the baby." He said his son-in-law was not able to earn money to "eke out a living for the family."

"We are facing poverty and had no option but to give away the baby to a couple who will look after her," he said.

Shivalal Mohali who "purchased" the baby claims he "adopted" her.

He said: "The entire process was done in the presence of villagers. We donated some money to the parents of the girl."

Beela Rajesh, deputy commissioner of Dhanbad, said: "I have directed the circle officer to find out the truth. We will react on the issue according to the probe report."

courtesy: http://autofeed.msn.co.in/pandorav3/output/News/90f3cd55-1ce9-4afe-859a-a7cc49d6492a.aspx

[jagmohan]

At least the couple had a baby to sell and the parents can live for a few more months. What about those who don't have children to sell and are dying of starvation in Maharashtra, Andhra and Orrisa. No, I am not being funny but the reality is that 'We seem to have lost it'. I am not being 'Negative'. Sehrawat Ji is right. Let us get real.

I am reminded of a brave IAS officer, a class fellow of mine. Do you all remember that the first major death by malnutrition that were reported extensively in the news papers took place in Kalahandi Dist of Orrisa in late 80s. There was a lot of hue and cry over it. Mr Ashok Dalwai, then DM of Kalahandi, refused to buckle under pressure and accepted that deaths had indeed taken place due to malnutrition. He was hounded out of the state by powerful politicians who has eaten away all funds allotted for public distribution of food grains. He chose to serve in his home state and was till recently in Karnataka as Secy, SSI & Mines.

It is a matter of shame.

Then we talk of VISION 2020!!! Where are all these Gods who were supposed to come and sort out the ADHARM?

[rkumar]

This is the tragedy of India which has truely been a country of as many paradoxes as the the number of people living in it. Hunger is nothing new in India and some how we have been insensitive to it since time immemorial. Let me freshen up the momories of members by taking them back in history of our great nation;

1. One best friend of Lord Krishna was Sudama. He was so poor and deprived of food that he had to walk all the way to Dwarika to get some rice..

2. During the same period, Aswathama, son of Guru Dronacharya had problem getting a glass of milk...With all this how disgusted was Dronachariya that he had to almost beg for a cow from his king friend, who in return refused to part with cow...

This shortage of food even during that period makes me often think that why Krishna was a Makhan chor..

Problem today is not of food shortage. Its more of distribution and lack of purchasing power. Its a matter of shame for India if such things are still happening. High time we focus on such issues first.

Regards
rajendra

[nvedwan]

An even deeper problem is chronic malnutrition, but does not invite much attention because of its relative acceptance. According to WHO data, over 50 percent of babies born in India are underweight, altogether India has the largest malnourished population outside of sub-saharan Africa. Neonatal and foetal health has tremendous consequences for not only individual productivity but also increases their vulnerability to heart disease, etc later in life (low birth weight is strongly correlated to the probability of developing heart disease later in life). Not exactly a great acheivement. But, look at the media coverage and the political discourse, one can really be forgiven to think that these problems don't exist or are brought up only to humiliate our nation and its wonderful acheivements--the attitude of the previous govt. "Shining India" definitely sounds much more attractive, although it may not apply to the vast majority of the inhabitants of our country.