HC tells state to take measures to curb infant deaths

Mumbai: The Bombay high court on Wednesday asked the Maharashtra government to provide report submitted to the core committee, a committee constituted under the chief secretary to provide better facilities in tribal areas. The court expressed concern over the number of deaths of children infants in these areas.

The court was informed that 12 children have died in the past 15 days due to malnutrition in Melghat while the court was earlier informed about deaths of 72 infants in less than a year’s time.The division bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Mahesh Sonak was hearing a bunch of petitions highlighting the high infant mortality rate due to malnutrition in the tribal areas, especially Melghat.

The judges sought to know from the government if any senior officials or bureaucrat has ever visited the affected areas to understand the ground reality and problems faced by tribals.

The judges also asked if the report prepared by the members of committee, who visit the ground zero, is handed over to the committee and if the committee take any action as per suggestions made in the report.

The judges were infor-med by an activist that different judges of this court while hearing this issue have passed several orders asking the government to take steps to curb infant deaths in these areas.