Just a day after the high court lambasted it over the rising number of deaths of children owing to malnutrition, the state government was in for another jolt as the National Human Rights Commission (N
Just a day after the high court lambasted it over the rising number of deaths of children owing to malnutrition, the state government was in for another jolt as the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued it a notice asking it to submit a report on the issue within a month.
Taking suo motu cognisance of media reports that in Palghar district, more than 600 children have died of malnutrition in 2016, the commission has issued a notice to the state chief secretary calling for a detailed report on the matter within four weeks.
The Commission has observed that the state authorities should be conscious towards the plight of the residents, especially children and the elderly. Such a huge number of deaths of the children, in a year amount to violation of the right to life and health of the poor victims, said the NHRC.
The Kasturba Adivasi Mahila Sangh has filed a petition in the HC saying that the state government has failed to curb malnutrition in the tribal areas. Expressing shock over the issue, the HC said the state government has shown “complete apathy and criminal negligence” in dealing with malnutrition. The high court was told that there had been 18,000 child deaths, including cases of stillbirths, in 2015-16 in tribal areas of the state’s 11 districts, including Palghar. The worst-affected areas are Mokhada, Jawhar, Wada and Vikramgad talukas in Palghar district.
The state government has also faced flak over the reported controversial statements of tribal development minister Vishnu Savara, who is also the guardian minister of Palghar district. Savara visited the region on September 15 and had stated that the government is doing its work and the schemes are being implemented. However, angry villagers confronted him, saying funds were being allocated but not reaching the beneficiaries.
