NHRC notice to WB Govt over children's death by Encephalitis

National Human Righ Commission today issued a notice to West Bengal Government on children's death due to Encephalitis in the state's Malda district.
The NHRC issued the notice to the Chief Secretary seeking a report on the matter within four weeks, according to a statement by the commission.
The Chief Secretary has also been asked to inform whether similar cases have been reported from other parts of the state.
The action was taken after NHRC took suo motu cognisance of a media report that at least nine children, aged between three to five years, died in three days in Kaliachak village of Malda district from a disease showing symptoms of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome, loosely described as Litchi Syndrome.

The affected children were reported to be mostly from around a Litchi plantation.
"The report, carried on June 9, also quoted some experts saying that colouring agents and insecticides used on Litchi crop were the cause behind the disease. The disease does not allow much time to the doctors to treat the affected child," the statement said.
The Commission has observed that the contents of the media report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights of the children.