HC slams govt on malnutrition problem

The High Court on Wednesday came down heavily on the government for not taking steps to arrest child malnutrition, saying “when there are deaths, you are pushing papers”.

When a letter by B L Patil, who works for an NGO, to the Registrar General of the High Court came up for hearing as a PIL before the division bench submitted that the government had constituted a monitoring committee for the purpose.

At this the court said, “You (government) are not doing anything. Children are dying. What made you constitute a committee without our advice. You can take action you want, it will be of no use. When monitored by us, it will be even worse. If you are so efficient, there should be no malnutrition deaths.”

 

Terming the schemes of the government to tackle the problem as “inefficient”, the court observed “you still want to monitor when you do not know anything about it. We don’t have the knowledge about it but we are open to suggestions”. When Nataraj submitted that Rs 785 crore had been allocated by the government to tackle the problem, the court observed it is a worthless affidavit.

“You say funds, where is the fund allocation. You say you will do it, you do nothing”. Describing the affidavit as a political speech, the court observed “when there are deaths, you are pushing papers. There is nothing new in this. How much are you spending on the committee?” When Nataraj submitted a sample food packet supplied across the state by the government, the court questioned “what will you do if this is poison tomorrow. Whom will you make accountable”. The court then adjourned the hearing to April 11.