Ranchi, Oct. 4: The families of starvation victims in Palamau demonstrated in front of the commissioner’s office today.

There seems to be no relief for the people in drought-hit regions even as 28 deaths have been reported due to starvation so far.

The state government had announced several programmes to tackle the drought situation recently, but the funds have not yet reached the districts affected by the dry spell. Sources said the money sanctioned by the Centre for the purpose is gathering dust in the treasury.

Today’s demonstration by the drought-affected families was organised under the banner of the Gram Swarajya Abhiyan, which also submitted a memorandum to Governor M. Rama Jois, demanding immediate relief for all drought-affected areas.

The agitators, who had gathered from Palamau, Garhwa, Latehar, Godda and Koderma, criticised the state government for being insensitive towards their plight.

“There was no sincere effort to solve the problem and as a result many more people are on the verge of starvation,” they said.

Bachchu Oraon from Kusumatand village of Manatu block, a relative of a starvation victim, said only one well has been dug in their area in the name of drought-relief measure.

“The block office has almost become non-functional. The block development officer attends his office only twice a week, that too, for two or three hours. And while he is there, he is surrounded by middlemen. We (villagers) do not get a chance to speak to him,” said Oraon.

Virendra Oraon of Lesliganj village alleged that despite several schemes announced to tackle the drought, none has been implemented so far.

“Schemes like ‘Food for Work’, ‘Sunishchit Rojgar Yojana’ and ‘Midday meal’ have failed to see the light of day. As a result, the situation has worsened from bad to worst in the drought-hit areas,” he added.

According to Nandlal Thakur of the same village, the government machinery seems to have collapsed in the drought-affected areas.

“The government had sanctioned Rs 60 crore to tackle the drought. But Palamau district got only Rs 3.32 crore. The government should sanction more funds for the district,” he added.

Oraon said more and more people are being forced to migrate to neighbouring Rohtas, Dihri, Sasaram and Aurangabad districts in search of livelihood.

“It is quite ironical that on one hand the chief minister says that nobody will die of starvation in the state, while the ground reality is that people are still dying due to starvation in drought-affected villages,” he added.