Twelve infants die in 14 days: HC seeks report

Taking serious cognizance of the death of at least 12 infants in the last 14 days due to malnutrition, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday asked the Maharashtra government to spell out the progressive steps it has taken to bring down the numbers.

A division bench of Justices Abhay Oka and Mahesh Sonak was shocked to hear that 12 infants died from October 1 to 14, in Melghat area, owing to malnutrition. The bench accordingly sought to know from the core committee about the steps it has taken to reduce such incidents. The core committee was formed pursuant to orders of the HC under chairmanship of the state’s chief secretary. The bench has asked the core committee to spell out if it has ever made a single visit to tribal areas and if so, the committee has been asked to file its report on such visits. “We want to know if the committee has visited the areas. And if so, have they prepared any reports of their visits,” the bench said.

The bench was seized with a bunch of petitions highlighting the high infant mortality rate in tribal areas, especially in Melghat. The petition sought directions to the government to provide a nutritious diet to infants and also pregnant women in the area.

Several benches of the HC have passed numerous orders directing the government to provide better healthcare facilities to tribal communities living in such remote areas.

The activists, who highlighted the issues, have claimed that the government has done little to enhance the conditions of tribal communities.