Steps taken to combat malnutrition deaths, state govt tells HC

Mumbai, Nov 8 (UNI) The State Government today claimed before the Bombay High Court that it has taken adequate measures to combat malnutrition deaths in rural Maharashtra.

The State has set up ''anganwadis'', public health centres and neo-natal facilities for the poor in rural Maharashtra, the court was told.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice H S Bedi and Justice V M Kanade was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Kiran Paturkar, a businessman from Amravati.

The petitioner contended that the State had failed in tackling the malnutrition malaise and all the progress was only on paper.

State Advocate General Ravi Kadam strongly opposed this contention and cited the State Chief Secretary's affidavit according to which over 10,000 ''anganwadis'' had been established across the State and only 36 centres remained to be established in the tribal areas.

The Advocate General further submitted that a 50-bed hospital had been set up in Dharni and a 36-bed hospital in Chikhaldara with neo-natal wards and intensive care units.

The petitioner, however, contested the State's achievements by claiming that 110 malnutrition deaths were reported from Melghat in the month of September. The tribal belt of Vidarbha was not receiving proper attention, he told the court.

The Advocate General, meanwhile, told the court that steps have already been taken to train the ''anganwadi'' workers. He also informed that the state has sought assistance from experienced NGOs to implement the Integrated Child Welfare Schemes and others. The matter will come up for further hearing on November 16.

UNI ARM MAZ NV VA RN2108