One was struck by the different realities we face after reading the incisive article, “We need a nutrition mission” (July 22) and the extensive coverage of a blockbuster Tamil film released days ago. There are thousands of children who suffer as a result of malnutrition; this includes Tamil Nadu. When the film was released, thousands of litres of milk were mindlessly wasted over cut-outs of the hero. Had the actor’s fans decided to feed needy children with this milk or even pledged to meet their nutritional requirements, it would have made some difference.
Kallal M.L. Raghavan,Chennai
The healthy growth of a child is crucial as it significantly affects outcomes in adulthood. A mother’s health and nutritional status are also crucial for the development of the foetus.
As the percentage of India’s adult working population is set to increase, having a healthy and educated population to take full advantage of this is necessary.
Quite a few early life diseases in rural India can be traced to open defecation. Sickness in growing children spreads as a result of this practice. Eliminating open defecation is a vital step in ensuring nutritional outcomes.
Arka Adhikari,Howrah, West Bengal
Our policymakers have not been able to deliver results in terms of enabling nutrition, basic education, sanitation and health-care facilities for the economically backward. We need to reform our policies and reconstruct them on the basis of past experience as well as learning from countries that have made progress in tackling malnutrition.
Prateek Kumawat,Dantewada, Chhattisgarh
The alarming figures cited in the article should result in an overhaul in the ICDS, MDM, and PDS. Though successive Central governments have initiated several mechanisms to address the subject, the results are not visible due to leakages in these programmes. The demographic dividend will lapse if the population is not supported with adequate nutrition and health care.
Dr. Maksooda N. Gafoor,Puducherry
The article must also be looked at in context of the India-Mozambique pact to double pulses import. However, India should get to the root of the nutritional deficit problem. Pulses are said to be ‘poor man’s meat’ given their high protein content. But inflation has made them a luxury food. Increasing malnutrition can also be attributed to the diminishing intake of pulses. As dependence on food imports will affect India, its priority should be to attain self-reliance in food production. There should be a pulses revolution on the lines of the Green Revolution.
Dr. D.V.G. Sankararao,Nellimarla, Andhra Pradesh
