Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday was informed that more than 485 children below the age of five died in Melghat alone between April 2016 and February 2017.
A Division Bench of Justices V.M. Kanade and C.V. Bhadang was hearing a bunch of public interest litigations (PIL) about the increase in malnutrition cases in the interiors of the State, particularly in Melghat. One of the PILs highlights that vacant posts of anaesthetists, gynaecologists and paediatricians have added to the problem.
An affidavit presented in court by the petitioners said that as per a presentation given by the health department in court, only about 19% of the total budget of ₹536.35 lakh to curb malnutrition had been spent up to December 2016. The affidavit also said that more than 485 children below the age of five had died, and more than 172 still births and 20 maternal deaths were recorded between April 2016 and February 2017 in two blocks of Melghat alone.
The court has directed the State to file an affidavit on the same within two weeks.
In the last hearing, principal secretaries of the public health, women and child, and other departments had given presentations in court highlighting compliance of court orders and mentioning the new schemes and budgetary allocations taken up by them. The court had suggested that the departments initiate sensitisation and awareness programmes for their officers. The court also said the education of malnourished children should also be given attention so that they can be self-reliant.
Earlier, the High Court had said that it was a sad state of affairs that half of the 443 million children in the country live below the poverty, and 18,000 children die every year because of malnutrition. It had said that in such a situation, any progress and prosperity made is meaningless.
Right to Information queries had earlier revealed that 283 children died in Melghat and around 17,000 in the State due to malnutrition in 2015-16. A report by the State Women and Child Development department shows that in Melghat, on an average 500 children die every year, against its population of three lakh.
