Aizawl, May 26 : A 46-year-old man belonging to the Bru tribe has died in Mizoram-Tripura-Bangladesh border Mamit district allegedly due to starvation, prompting a protest by Opposition Mizo National Front who demanded resignation of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister.
Saitirai of Thaidawr hamlet died while digging wild yam in the jungle after the earth caved in killing him on the spot on Sunday, a statement by MNF said.
Though the state government announced that there was sufficient supply of food in all the godowns, there were many villagers starving and resorted to digging wild yam, especially in remote villages, the statement claimed. Accusing the government of unable to provide sufficient food to the people, the party demanded resignation of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister John Rotluangliana.
Meanwhile, leading NGO Young Mizo Association’s local unit vice-president C Lalrambuatsaiha told PTI over phone that Saitirai was buried today.
Lalrambuatsaiha said that there were more and more people digging and collecting wild yam from the jungles in Thaidawr and other villages including Bunghmun West as people find that the rice received from PDS was insufficient for the family members.
“People were forced to collect, dig and eat wild yam to supplement the rice supply,” he said, adding there are many families who cannot purchase rice due to poverty and depend on wild food.
