When the whole issue of malnutrition and deaths among Korku tribe came to light the whole atmosphere was that of denial or throwing the ball back to Korku courts. There were some stereotyped rebuttals. They have more children, they are superstitious, they are unhygienic and are unschooled by large. May it be the policy makers, bureaucrats or even a media section. But grassroots realities were contrary to such allegations. Khalwa Block where most of the Korkus are found has the lowest lieracy rate in the district. Who is to be blamed? The Registrar General of Census in India indiacate that te district's decadal population growth rate of 19 % below the national or state levels is a matter of concern. Who is to held responsible if it were not for the large number of Korku children dying due to malnutrition? If you don't have doctors and paramedics in the governemnt hospital and Korku as a last hope resorts to quacks will you call them superstitious? No mother would let a child die... if there are running noses and flies simply because she doesnot have a knapsack or a piece of cloth who is to be blamed?
Deaths of children due to preventable causes needs to be checked!
Korkus of Khalwa face the problems of acute household hunger manifested in large number of infant deaths due to malnutrition and their language is endangered too. Enter the World of Korku: a lesser known tribe of Central India facing a threat to thier Food Security and language
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