High Court pulls up Govt over malnutrition deaths in tribal areas

Voicing concern over the rise in the deaths of children and pregnant women in tribal areas across the State, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday pulled up the Maharashtra government over its ‘apathy’ in dealing with the issue.

A bench presided over by Justice Vidyasagar Kanade and Justice Swapna Joshi while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) raising concern over the death rate of infants and pregnant women in Tribal areas, slammed the government for providing poor facilities to the tribal people.

The bench was informed that more than 18,000 infants and women have died in various tribal areas due to malnutrition over a period of two years. Upon being informed, the bench said, “We are shocked to hear that every year thousands of people in tribal areas die of malnutrition.”

“It is the State’s complete failure in dealing with this issue, despite the grants of thousands of crores rupees by the Central government in its budgetary allocations. We would like to know where is the amount gone and how is the state utilizing this amount?” the bench said.

The petitioner also informed the bench that moreover there are no doctors in various tribal areas especially in the Melghat area of Vidarbha.

He furnished a list of the names of several government doctors who refused accepting their posting at Melghat. However, Neha Bhide, the counsel appearing for the government assured the bench that the said 179 posts across the State would be filled up till first week of October.

While posting the matter after four weeks, the bench directed the government to file an affidavit spelling out the amount sanctioned by both the Center and State towards the providing better health services to tribals in Maharashtra.