A delegation of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee on Tuesday met governor Raghubar Das and urged him to visit Kandhamal district where two women have died after eating mango kernels.

The delegation also demanded financial assistance to the tune of ₹20 lakh for the families of the deceased.

Six more people are currently undergoing treatment after the consumption of mango kernels. Two have been shifted to the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack following multi-organ failure.

Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday ordered a Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) level inquiry into the mango kernel death issue in Kandhamal district. The order came after the Opposition came down heavily on the government for the death of the tribals.

Submitting a memorandum, the Congress leaders apprised the Governor of the condition of people in Mandipanka village under Darinbadi block in Kandhamal, who had to consume mango kernels due to the acute scarcity of food.

“This incident exposes severe food insecurity in the region and critical failures of the public distribution system (PDS) and total neglect of the district and the state administration. The government currently provides only 5 kg of rice per person monthly, which typically lasts just 15-20 days. The food for Oct-Dec was released only on 2nd November delayed by a month, which led the people to consume mango kernel,” the Congress delegation toldthe Governor.

“Had the food supplies been released on time in October, this incident — the loss of two precious lives — could have been averted,” they said.

Congress leader and former Union minister Srikant Jena said: “Odisha food supplies minister has claimed that families had sufficient rice and simply did not collect their October-December quota. This is a misleading statement intended only to hide their own failures. He must be sacked for making irresponsible and fabricated statements without visiting the affected village and commenting on the food habits of the tribals.”

Jena further said: “Villagers are not consuming mango kernels by choice, instead they are forced to do so because of insufficient food. The MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee) Act is currently not being implemented, leading to increased migration.”

The Congress delegation also demanded that the food grain supply be increased to 15 kg per person per month (at least for the period July-October), with strict enforcement of the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) provision of 35 kg per household.

“The government should be asked to consult the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) for thorough research on mango kernels, as they are abundantly available in tribal areas where people are actively engaged in their collection,” the delagation said.

To ensure long-term vision and development in these areas, the Congress also demanded for establishment of a development council for Kandhamal and Gajapati districts, which would drive focused and inclusive growth in these neglected regions.

“And for the overall development of the Tribal area PESA (Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act must be implemented in its letter and spirit throughout the state,” the Congress said in its memorandum.