The Bombay High Court on Friday asked the State government if there was any scientific expert team to study the situation in Melghat to tackle the issue of malnutrition deaths and illnesses.
A Division Bench of Justices Abhay Oka and M.S. Sonak was hearing a bunch of public interest litigations on the increase in malnutrition cases in the tribal belt of the State, especially Melghat. One petition highlighted that the posts of anaesthetists, gynaecologists and paediatricians were lying vacant.
The Bench was hearing the matter for the first time and asked the registry to number all the affidavits filed in the case and asked the additional government pleader Neha Bhide if any study was carried out to ascertain the problem and factors related to malnutrition.
The Bench said, “We need an independent scientific study to be carried out by an expert agency. Institutions like the Indian Institute of Technology or the Tata Institute of Social Service could be appointed and their expert team could visit the places and understand the issue — health- and nutrition-wise — and suggest what could be done.”
Purnima Upadhyay, one of the petitioners, told the court that the problem of malnutrition was now affecting adults. She said people who were malnourished as children are facing health issues and dying even before they reach the age of 50. She said the government needs to frame a policy to address the issue.
The Bench said it will pass an order on September 11 with respect to doctors in the area. In the last hearing, the State filed an affidavit that read, “A committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of the collector with powers to appoint regular medical officers.”
