HC seeks reply from Maharashtra govt on starvation death

The Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court today directed Maharashtra government to file an affidavit on alleged non-implementation of National Food Security Act, 2013, following a report of starvation death in Gondia district.
The bench of Justices Bhushan Gavai and Indu Jain asked the Principal Secretary, Food and Civil Supplies, to file a detailed affidavit within two weeks.
The order came on a public interest litigation filed by Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti president Kishore Tiwari who alleges that government failed to implement Food Security Act which led to the starvation death.
Lalita S Rangari, a 36-year-old Dalit widow and a mother of two children, one of whom suffers from visual impairment, allegedly died because of starvation a few days ago in Gondia district's Tiroda area.

The government has failed to identify the 'eligible and priority' households under NFS Act after it came into force on September 10, 2013. The reduction in supply of foodgrains through the public distribution system was also causing a great hardship to the poor, the PIL says.
To date, the state government has not framed any guidelines to implement the Act, the PIL says, seeking a direction to the government to implement it. It also demands a probe into the woman's death and compensation to her family.
The next hearing would be on July 22.