Thread by @fpjindia

#BombayHighCourt bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Girish Kulkarni hearing an old PIL pertaining to rise in deaths of children, pregnant women and lactating mothers owing to malnutrition in tribal areas of #Maharashtra

Activist Burma appearing in person

Since the matter has come up for hearing after a few years, Burma apprises the bench of the issues involved in the PIL pertaining to malnutrition deaths.

Informs last order passed in 2018 by bench led by Justice Abhay Oka to check into crores of grants made by govt

Adv Neha Bhide for @CMOMaharashtra tells the bench that the Union govt has been seeking adjournments in this matter since 2018.

Burma: In months between May to June this year, 49 students have died. Over 11k children are underweight. No much progress in this issue.

Burma points out that the J Oka had passed orders stating that the chief secretary will have to personally check how the funds are being spent.
"Only improvement in this case was in 2006 after J Lodha passed detailed orders," Burma.

Burma: There were orders passed for constructing model hospitals in these areas, but there has been no such hospital.

Our claim is that we are way better than states like #UP n #Bihar but in health sector we are much down on the list. Even below these states.

Union govt counsel: Much things have enhanced.

Burma: No. Infact there has been a worst situation now. In Palghar alone 40 plus children have died and that's only on record.

Points out that doctors, gynaecs etc are on contract but none visits the field.

Burma: Don't give them airports or anything else. These are tribal people, give them bus depots so that they can move easily. Connectivity is an issue in these areas. Pregnant women cannot go to hospitals, children are dying as there are no docs for them.

Bench asks the petitioners to submit an affidavit so that it could cross check it with state.
CJ: In case of dearth of doctors in jails, we have ordered the state to ensure one doctor visits daily from civil hospitals. U cannot say since there aren't doctors....

....then there won't be any business. You need to submit all the details pertaining to the health facilities in these areas, who is heading the district hospitals etc in the next hearing. This is a serious matter to be dealt with. Let the advocate general be there on next date.

Adv Neha Bhide for state clarifies that the state isn't taking this matter adversely. "There are more than 170 directives passed, we are trying to comply with each of them. We couldn't provide hot cooked meal to these people during #Covid but gave take-home-ration kits."

Bhide: Village Child Development Centre (VCDC) are there in all such areas, wherein constant check is being done on the health of children. They strive to ensure malnourishment is brought down.

Even a single death is serious, we are aware of it Milords.

J Kulkarni: If your machinery is so good then why these 73 deaths of children due to malnutrition?

Bhide: Will Check.

Burma: Problem is contractors are blacklisted ones. No docs for children, wherein children are dying even in womb.

Burma: please give us Pediatricians, so that we could save children's lives.

J Kulkarni: Which is the nearest hospital from #Melghat?

Burma: Amravati civil hospital is the nearest. There are empty buildings lying in the district.

CJ notes that there is no Gynaecologist in #ChikhalDhara. Ensure Gynaecs are sent there and the situation should be monitored by the state tomorrow.

Bhide: Will ensure Gynaecs and Pediatricians are sent there from public health Dept.

CJ: So you want the pregnant women to go to #Amravati?

Bhide: In Amravati hospital also there are no sufficient docs.

CJ: If on next date, we find any child has died, then we will hold the principal secretary of health Dept responsible for it.

CJ: This is a serious issue. We want the situation to improve from tomorrow.

Burma: Sending doctors is okay but none reaches on the spot.

Bhide: That is a different issue Milords.

CJ: We want you to ensure doctors are deputed at all such places even in #Palghar

CJ: Let ur secretary rise to the occasion. We are putting him on guard. If on next date we are told a child has died we will view it seriously.

Next date on Sept 6.

CJ asks activist Burma, who hails from #Nagpur to appear virtually instead of travelling to #Bombay

J Kulkarni: We also want latest data of how much funds were made available by the Union govt in past decade. How that money is utilised and yet why deaths are occurring.

Next Date Sept 6