-- Decca Chronicle, Hyderabad, August 25, 2005

MUMBAI: Kiran Paturkar, a businessman from Amravati, has said in an affidavit filed in the Bombay High Court that there are more than 33,000 children in the malnutrition category in Melghat and Dharni talukas of Amravati in Vidarbha. Of these, 16,000 are in “the most serious condition and, if not treated immediately, will succumb to malnutrition”. He said more than 35,000 children can be treated, “but if no remedial measures are taken they can become serious cases.”

The petitioner’s lawyer claimed on Wednesday that over 2,000 children have died due to malnutrition in the past three months in five districts of Vidarbha. The court has asked for the source of his figures and he is to present the information on Thursday.

A Bombay High Court bench comprising Chief Justice Dalveer Bhandari and Dhananjay Chandrachud on Wednesday asked the health department of the Maharashtra government to submit detailed information about the deaths of children due to malnutrition in the months of April, May, June and July 2005. The State government has to file the details on Thursday.

Mr Kiran Paturkar had filed the petition on July 22, 2005 following the high court’s direction on June 25, 2005 to demonstrate whether the infant malnutrition rate has decreased or increased, and whether there has been any improvement in the steps taken by the state government to reduce the malnutrition deaths. Mr Paturkar maintained that “the State government paints a rosy picture but, in fact, there is no action taken by the state government at the field level to prevent or reduce malnutrition deaths.”

The petitioner’s advocate, Mr Jugal Kishore Gilda, had informed the court earlier too that 2,000 children have died in the past three months. All these died due to malnutrition and were from the tribal districts of Amravati, Yewatmal, Ghadchiroli, Chandrapur and Bhandara.

Mr Gilda said the toll would definitely shoot up if other districts, like Thane, Ahmednagar and Dhule, are included. Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Desh-mukh said, “The government has sought information from the concerned officials about recent media reports After the petition was filed against the government, the State government had raised the budgetary allocation for the affected areas. However, Mr Gilda has alleged that the average sum spent on every child does not exceed Rs 800 per annum. He has also claimed that the deaths reported are understated.