The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has issued notice to the Union Health Secretary and the AIIMS New Delhi Director asking them not to neglect Jaga and Kalia, separated conjoined tribal twins of Kandhamal district.
Acting on a petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer and rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy, the NCST has asked the two to submit reply within fifteen days.
In his petition, Tripathy mentioned that while 31-month-old Jaga and Kalia have been kept under constant supervision at the AIIMS since they were admitted there, the State Governament has already ensured sufficient funds for their treatment. However, they are likely to be sent back to Odisha in the second week of March.
“There is no required equipment in the State that can provide treatment to the twins. While the twins require further attention of the experts, as the parents, Pushpanjali Kanhara and Bhuiya Kanhara, are worried over this. They have also requested the State Government to ask the AIIMS authorities to keep Jaga-Balia until they are fully fit to be shifted,” mentioned Tripathy.
Tripathy requested the NCST to direct the AIIMS Director to ensure healthy stay of the twins until they haven’t been fully cured. Otherwise, the poor ST family would be deprived of justice, argued Tripathy. The NCST wanted that it would exercise power of civil court and issue summons for the appearance in person or by representative the commission doesn’t get reply within stipulated time.