DCs to be answerable for malnutrition cases

The committee formed by the High Court to look into deaths of children due to malnutrition has decided to fix the responsibility for new cases of malnutrition being reported on the deputy commissioners (DCs). 

Addressing reporters on Monday, Chairman of the Committee, Justice N K Patil, said each district would have a five-member committee - led by the DC and comprising the Chief Executive Officer of the Zilla Panchayat - to monitor the situation. 

“A detailed report about any deficiencies and information about anganwadis will be given by the DCs,” Justice Patil said. In addition, there will be information about the number of anganwadis, those functioning in rented buildings and those for which accommodation is provided by the government. Information is also being sought on anganwadis which require strong infrastructural improvement.

The panel is also likely to suggest setting up of rehabilitation centres in each district along the lines of a hospital by attaching them to a medical college, wherever possible. 

The current estimate by the government of severely malnourished children in the State is 68,000 and these children would get priority treatment in hospitals. Ironically, 20 of these rehabilitation centres already exist in the State, where the occupancy is less than half the beds available. 

As of now, there is no monitoring system which ensures that severely malnourished children who require medical intervention are actually brought to these centres for treatment.

Justice Patil has opined that providing food in anganwadis according to regional preferences is the best way to ensure children have food at the centres. 

But once again, there is no clarity or guidelines as of now, about the procurement of grains and cooking of food at the Mahila Supplementary Nutrition Production and Training Centres (MSPTCs). 

Interestingly, Justice Patil dismissed the question about procurement process stating there was no problem with the government-initiated system of grain procurement. In fact, there is no proper procurement system in place at present, with the contract with Christy Friedgram Industries ending last month. All present modes of procurement in each district are ad-hoc and the Department of Women and Child Development is working on the details, mindful of including self help groups (present at the MSPTCs) this time around, in the wake of a long-standing Supreme Court directive.

Chitradurga DC Vipul Bansal, who was present at the panel meeting on Monday, said enough arrangements could be made to see that all the grains were locally procured. 

“We have been able to negotiate the rates with the local traders and Agriculture Market Produce Committee (APMC). We could put a system in place, where the MSPTCs would purchase themselves, if the price is below a set price. Any purchase above those rates and they will have to seek our permission,” he said. 

This the DCs would be able to do, if the government allowed them the autonomy and issued clear guidelines about their authority. 

The committee has finished a round of consultations in Gulbarga and will proceed to Belgaum for a meeting on May 3. Meanwhile, Justice Patil, who said they would be submitting an interim action plan report by June 15 to the High Court, has requested experts, NGOs and interested persons working in the field of child welfare, to submit their suggestions in writing within seven days to the Member Secretary, Karnataka State Legal Services Authority, Nyaya Degula, 1st Floor, H Siddaiah Road, Bangalore.