JOIN USThe State government on Monday ruled out any inquiry into the death of six-year-old Meghala on July 17 at a private hospital in the City and reiterated that the girl died of pneumonia and not malnourishment.
Replying to BJP leader Jagadish Shettar, who raised the issue in the Assembly, Women and Child Welfare Minister Umashree said that a survey by the government identified 3,459 malnourished children and Meghala of DJ Halli was one among them.
She was given nutritious food under the Integrated Child Development Scheme at an anganwadi. Her weight increased from 10.80 kg to 11.20 kg after getting the special attention in December. But the environment where she lived was unhygienic and therefore, she developed infections which led to death, Umashree pointed out.
The minister said the victim’s family was poor.
Pitiable condition
“I and the Health minister visited her house. The family really lives in a pitiable condition. Meghala’s mother is blind, while her father is an alcoholic,” she said.
When Shettar pointed out that such a poverty-stricken family was given Above Poverty Line card and not a BPL one, the Minister said the Food and Civil Supplies department had now issued a BPL card to the victim’s family and also the mother was being given a monthly pension.
No need for inquiry
When Shettar insisted that an inquiry should be ordered to find out whether the girl died of malnutrition or infection, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, endorsing the views expressed by his Cabinet colleague, said there was no need for an inquiry as she died of pneumonia.