One person is suspected to have died of cold in East Singhbhum and three others are reportedly dead in Seraikela-Kharsawan in the last four days with temperatures plummeting.
Though the Election Commission on Thursday, December 19, exempted the distribution of blankets and burning of bonfires from the model code of conduct restrictions, the twin district administrations have yet to wake up. Political party workers, who distribute blankets in urban slums and rural areas, also seem too busy waiting for election results to do social work.
An unidentified 45-year-old man at Belajuri under MGM police station area of East Singhbhum is suspected to have died of cold on Friday night, when the temperature hovered around 9.5°C.
Three others suspected to have been killed by cold from last Wednesday onwards have been identified as Gokul Kansari, 65, Mohanlal Kansari, 45, and Sonu Kansari, 27, members of a family at Nimdih Bustee in Gamharia, Adityapur Municipal Corporation area in Seraikela-Kharsawan.
East Singhbhum DC Ravi Shankar Shukla had last week written to the Election Commission, seeking permission to distribute blankets and organise bonfires in his district.
Though the poll commission on Thursday exempted both blankets and bonfire from the model code in public interest, no action is visible yet.
Blankets are distributed by the block development officer concerned and bonfires hosted by the circle officer.
Asked why no bonfires were seen yet, Jamshedpur circle officer Anurag Tiwary said they had not got anything in writing. “We have a fund of Rs 1.5 lakh to organise bonfires in bus stand, station area, marketplaces, among others, where people huddle at night,” he said. “But we are waiting for written orders.”
Jamshedpur BDO Malay Das claimed that of the 12,000 blankets he received to distribute among people living in 55 panchayats under Jamshedpur block, 10,000 were distributed before the Assembly election date was notified on November 1. “Only 2,000 are left as the model code started, but we will distribute these soon.”
Adityapur mayor Vinod Srivastava said they received 2,200 blankets to be given among the poor in Adityapur-Gamharia slums. “But the poll panel did not allow the AMC to distribute blankets.”
