NHRC issues notice to Kerala over infant deaths

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Tuesday sought a report over the malnutrition deaths of several infants at Attappadi in Kerala.

Citing an editorial in a newspaper, the commission said: "The contents of the editorial, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights of tribal children and mothers in the Attappadi region. Accordingly, a notice has been issued to the chief secretary, Kerala, calling for a report within six weeks."

"NHRC has taken suo motu cognizance of an editorial alleging that several infants died due to malnutrition in Attappadi region of Kerala, particularly in Kadambara South, Vellakulam colony and Nellippathy colony, since January, 2012," the commission said.

Quoting Kerala's health department's statistics, the editorial said that recently 23,597 people were screened in 7,565 houses in the three panchayats of Attappadi. Of them, 496 adults, 70 pregnant women and 283 children below the age of 12 were found to be anaemic.