Jammu, Mar 14: In an unprecedented move the scheduled tribe Gujjar community of J&K today appealed to the United Nations Organization (UNO) for food security of more than six lakh nomadic families of their tribe under World Food Programme (WFP) “as we are facing intense food shortage due to our low incomes and deficient resources.”
 In a written request to UN Secretary General  Ban Ki Moon with copies to Josette Sheeran,  Executive Director of WFP from the Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation-a frontal organization of Gujjars, it has been urged to cover the nomadic Gujjars and Bakerwals residing in Indian  Kashmir under UN  Food programme for India.
 Dr Javaid Rahi, Secretary Tribal Foundation in an e-mail said: “We have written to the UN that a substantial chunk of nomadic population of Gujjars and Bakerwals is facing food insecurity in J&K and a majority of tribal people are consuming less than 80 percent of the minimum food requirement, which deserve an immediate help.”
 Quoting letter he said there was an urgent need for an exclusive national or international action plan and policy for  ensuring a sustainable food security to nomadic Gujjars and Bakerwals of J&K  with a programme  to eliminate poverty-induced chronic hunger among tribes.
 He said even the Economic Survey of J&K 2010, a official document tabled in state assembly last week, mentioned that more than 42 per cent population of Scheduled Tribes, majority of them Gujjars and Bakerwals, lived below poverty line.
 He said, “this is high time to induct Gujjars and Bakerwal Tribe in the groups in India that are covered by WFP of the UNO.”
 The WFP is the food aid branch of the United Nations, and the world's largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger worldwide.
 WFP provides food on average to 90 million people every year, 58 million of whom are children.
 The letter reads that in tribal Gujjars nearly nine out of 10 pregnant women aged between 15 and 49 years suffer from malnutrition and anaemia. Anaemia in pregnant women causes more than 30 percent of infant mortality. More than half of the children under five are moderately to severely malnourished.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
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