Substandard food distributed as relief in farweast behind 400 deaths: NHRC
NHRC REPORT ON DIARRHOEA OUTBREAK
Lab test found that about 16.5 metric tonnes of rice imported for distribution by WFP did not meet the standard.
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KATHMANDU , OCT 28 - National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said on Wednesday that contaminated and substandard food ration distributed by different organisations, including World Food Program (WFP), was one of the reasons behind the death of about 400 people in far-western Nepal.
The NHRC made the claim after a month-long investigation on the diarrhoea epidemic and distribution of food ration in far-western Nepal in the first quarter of this year. The report, which was made public on Wednesday at a function in the capital, points out that earlier investigations, especially the ones carried out by the government, overlooked the linkage between the disease outbreak and the quality of food distributed in the area.
Though it is not the only reason behind the outbreak of diarrhoea, it has been proved that the WFP-distributed food items were contaminated, unfit for human consumption and had reached to the local consumers, said NHRC Spokesman Gauri Pradhan briefing the report.
Multiple lab-tests of the WFP-distributed food samples, including the ones collected by the national rights watchdog from the affected areas have proved that the rice and legumes distributed by the WFP were rotten, contaminated, unfit for consumption by either human or animal, according to the report.
The report also states that most of the WFP-distributed food packages did not have the basic details about the origin, packaging date, expiry date, and other information required by the law concerning consumer rights.
The quality of WFP-imported food rations were never checked at the customs until the diarrhoea broke out and when the first check up was carried out the laboratory test found out that about 16.5 MT of rice imported for distribution did not meet the quality standard and were unfit for human consumption, according to the NHRC.
Through the report, the NHRC has also expressed concern over the statement of WFP Representative to Nepal Richard Ragan that the WFP’s distribution of food rations “has little to do with either human rights or the epidemic.” Regan made the statement while responding to INSEC “allegations” that contaminated food rations distributed by the WFP were one of the reasons behind the death of people in the far-western region.
In this regard, the NHRC report draws Regan’s attention that the tragedy in the far-western districts and the food distribution were interrelated and were the issues associated with the human rights.
Stating that there are high possibilities of corruption and irregularities in the import of food items, NHRC has recommended the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) to take up further investigations.
Similarly, the report recommends the government to immediately bring the culprits to book and ensure that the food items to be distributed by different donors in Nepal pass through appropriate quality check and through government-operated distribution outlets.
Posted on: 2009-11-01 04:55
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