Malnutrition deaths: Chitnis urged to examine ground realities

Former Chief Minister Babulal Gaur today criticised the Madhya Pradesh government for providing misleading information on malnourished children in Sheopur district, to the State Assembly and urged the Women and Child Development minister to have a re-look into the issue.
"The Health department's report stated that 116 malnourished children died last year but Minister for Women and Child Development (Archana Chitnis) is claiming that no death was reported due to malnutrition during 2015 and 2016," Gaur pointed out in the House.
Chitnis made this claim in a written reply, in response to Gaur's question on the issue.
Gaur also pointed out that the Gwalior High Court bench in January this year had issued directives for curbing malnutrition in the region following deaths in Sheopur.

"This is a serious issue related to poor children and it should be dealt with humanity. I request you to examine the ground realities once again," Gaur added.
On Gaur's request, Chitnis assured the House to verify ground realities once again.

She informed that a survey was conducted in Sheopur district between November 1, 2016 to February 28, 2017. As on December 2016, this malnutrition survey had found 20,259 children with moderate weight and 5004 of them as under weight.
The minister also said that malnutrition is not the reason for death but it caused several other illnesses.
Last year, 116 children died due to malnutrition related ailments in Sheopur district.

The National Human Rights Commission had also issued a notice to Madhya Pradesh government over these deaths due to malnutrition-related ailments in Sheopur district. These deaths were reported during a period of five months before September 2016.