'Horrific': HC on malnutrition deaths of kids in Maharashtra's tribal Melghat region

Mumbai, Nov 12 (PTI) Terming the deaths of infants due to malnutrition in Maharashtra's tribal-dominated Melghat as "horrific", the Bombay High Court on Wednesday pulled up the state government for its "extremely casual" approach towards the issue.

From June 2025 to date, 65 infants between zero to six months of age lost their lives due to malnutrition in the Melghat region, a bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Sandesh Patil noted.

"This is horrific. The government should be worried and concerned," the high court said.

The HC was hearing a bunch of public interest litigations highlighting the high number of deaths of children, pregnant women and lactating mothers due to malnutrition in the Melghat region of Amravati district in eastern Maharashtra.

The court noted that it has been passing orders on the issue since 2006, but while the government has been claiming that everything is in order on paper, the ground reality is different.

"This shows the seriousness you (government) have on the issue. The approach is extremely casual," it said.

"The government should be concerned. Sixty-five infants have died from June till now. You should be worried. Just as we are concerned, you all should be too. This is horrific," it added.

The court urged the government to take the issue seriously and ordered the principal secretaries of four departments- public health, tribal affairs, women and child and finance - of the state government to remain present before it on November 24.

"This is a very sorry state of affairs. The issue of public health is being taken so lightly by the government," it remarked.

The HC ordered the principal secretaries of the four departments to file their affidavits indicating the steps taken by them on the issue.

It also suggested that doctors posted in such tribal areas should be paid more so that there is some incentive, considering the conditions there.

"There has to be some accountability. You need to have some mechanism," the high court said. PTI SP GK