Bhubaneswar, Nov 30 (Reporter) Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Srikant Jena has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Mandipanka village in Odisha’s Kandhamal district, where three tribal women died after consuming mango kernels. In a letter to the Prime Minister, Jena stated, “Your presence in Odisha for the DG conference, where you are staying for three days, offers a valuable opportunity to bring attention to this neglected region. “I humbly request you to dedicate one day to visiting Mandipanka village to witness firsthand the harsh realities of how the tribal people are living in complete neglect,” the Congress leader said. Jena noted that the tragic incident occurred on October 31 in Mandipanka village, where three young tribal women lost their lives, and several others were hospitalized after consuming mango kernels (Amba Takua). He alleged that this desperate act was due to acute food scarcity in the region, a direct result of the collapse of the food grain distribution under the Public Distribution System (PDS). The former Union Minister highlighted a violation of the National Food Security Act (NFSA), pointing out that the October-December food grain quota was released only on November 2. He claimed the delay of over a month forced families in this impoverished area to consume mango kernels. "Had the food supplies been released on time, this tragic loss of life could have been prevented," Jena said. He added that the situation is further exacerbated by the lack of basic healthcare, no mobile connectivity, and a dysfunctional medical facility. With the nearest administrative block located 50 kilometers away and no implementation of MGNREGA, young people are being forced to migrate in search of work, Jena alleged. He expressed shock that even after the incident, the District Collector of Kandhamal did not visit the village for over eight days. Furthermore, Jena criticized the Chief Minister for not yet visiting the district to assess the situation or provide solace to the affected families. He also condemned the Food Supplies Minister for making what he described as irresponsible and misleading statements instead of addressing the issue. A delegation from the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee visited the village and met with the Odisha Governor, explaining the ground situation and urging him to visit Kandhamal, a Scheduled District, to witness the plight of its people firsthand. Despite being the constitutional custodian of Scheduled Areas, the Governor has yet to visit the affected region, Jena said. He appealed to the Prime Minister to dedicate one day to visiting Mandipanka village, emphasizing that this visit would shed light on the struggles of the tribal people and underscore the urgent need for immediate action to address these issues. Prime Minister Modi arrived in Odisha on Friday for a three-day visit to attend the DG/IG conference and is scheduled to return to Delhi on Sunday...////...