Malnutrition Deaths are equally important as the starvation of farmers

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Malnutrition Deaths are equally important as the starvation of farmers

 

The Bombay High Court bench comprising of V M Kanade and J. A M Badar while hearing a bunch of Public Interest Litigations with respect to malnutrition deaths in Melghat region and other tribal areas on 19 June 2017 criticized the Maharastra government for non-implementation of the court orders to eradicate malnutrition deaths and infant mortality.

Poornima Upadhyay of NGO Khoj, one of the petitioners, informed the bench that the situation was deteriorating. Around 10,000 people die every year in tribal areas including children and pregnant women. Also, the state government was feeding people ready-to-eat food in packets, instead of providing nutritious food. Added to this was the pathetic condition of hospitals.

Upadhyay further added that between 2010 and 2017, this court had already passed over 30 orders asking the government to take various steps to eradicate malnutrition in tribal areas which included:

  • appointment of doctors,
  • framing of a nutrition policy,
  • setting up of clinics and hospitals, and
  • new technologies to monitor health of mothers and newborns in tribal regions of the state as the request being made in the previous hearing by Dr Abhay Bang.
  1. Kanade observed that several directions had been given by the court but no substantial progress had been made. The time had come where chief secretaries and collectors of the respective districts must be held responsible for non-implementation of orders passed by the court. We had been very patient but the state government was only paying lip service to the orders passed. He further added that there was no political will on the part of the state government and despite funds made available by the state and the Centre, there was no action.
  2. Kanade finally observed that, death due to malnutrition is equally or more important than the starvation of farmers and financial assistance given to them by way of loan waivers. He added that the tribal areas were politically, economically and socially weak and they cannot be neglected.

Finally, Bombay High court directed the state government to implement all the court’s orders before 14 August 2017 else it will pass appropriate action to hold the authorities responsible.

 

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