Bhubaneswar, July 20: The state government wants members of the Juang tribe living at the hilly Nagada village in Jajpur district - where at least 18 children have died in the past three months allegedly due to malnutrition - to come down to the plains and get the benefits of development.

Women and child development minister Usha Devi, who reviewed the government measures to tackle the situation, said this today. "If they come down the hills, it would be easier for the administration to ensure that the amenities reach them. Otherwise, we will have to think of alternative measures," she said.

Members of the endangered Juang tribe live at Nagada village located on the hilltop of Sukinda valley. The village lacks basic amenities in terms of everything, be it road connectivity, health care or food security.

In another development, the Odisha Human Rights Commission has issued a notice to the state government to submit its report on the malnutrition issue.

Before the media reported the malnutrition issue and the Opposition parties made beeline to this hilly and inaccessible pocket, the administration had never set its foot at Nagada. As a consequence, no basic amenities and the fruits of development have ever reached there. The nearest motorable point from Nagada is around 15km away.

"There is no sign of civilization or so-called development," Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson Sulochana Das had earlier said.

"A road to the hilltop is the prime necessity of the hour. Only then can the benefits reach on their doorsteps," said Devi, who also heads the planning and convergence department.

Another official source said the government was exploring the possibility to construct a road in the hilly and forested area.

The divisional forest officer has been asked to see how to get forest approval for laying a road there.

Apart from blaming the lack of road connectivity, the minister also said child marriage and lack of family planning measures were responsible for the malnutrition.

"There are frequent instances of women getting pregnant at this locality because of lack of family planning measures. Every family has seven to eight children on an average," said Devi, adding that there were 122 children in 24 Juang families.

To address the malnutrition issue, the minister has announced that two mini anganwadi centres would shortly be opened in the locality.

Revenue divisional commissioner A.B. Ota, who has been appointed as the head of a task force to monitor the intervention measures, said 17 malnourished children had already been identified.

Five nodal officers are being appointed to look after five sectors - food security, health, education, road communication and drinking water facilities, said the official.