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46 children starve to death in rural MP

Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is often feted for development work. But it seems the progress has not reached the remote, rural areas of the state — certainly not the tribal district of Jhabua.

At least 46 children have reportedly died of malnutrition and starvation in the district since last October. But the authorities refuse to even acknowledge the problem, let alone take any action.

Most of the deaths have been reported from Madrani, Agasiya, Ochka, Parnali and Itawa villages in Meghnagar block. Ironically, these villages come under the Jhabua- Ratlam constituency represented by Union tribal affairs minister Kantilal Bhuria.

43 children, of which 39 were under five, died in the last three months of 2009 while three deaths have been reported this year.

Little Diwan and Anil keep lying the whole day, running high fever and complaining of stomach pain. With rickety frames and bulging stomachs, these kids are a picture of undernourishment.

"He has high fever for the past few days. His face has swollen and stomach has a bulge," said Rewa Vasuniya, the father of five-year old Diwan.

Rewa had taken his son to the community health centre in Thandla, about 15 km from his village. But his condition has continued to deteriorate.

Diwan's worried mother hasn’t left his side for almost a week.

She had lost her three-year-old daughter Pushpa in November and now fears for her son's life.

Five-year old Anil, too, is lying in bed with high fever and unbearable stomach pain. "He has been running a fever for over a week. His symptoms are similar to those children of our village who died because of some mysterious disease. They all complained of fever and stomach pain," Anil's uncle Fakrru said.

Anil's parents are not at home.

They have gone out in search of work to earn some money.

Social workers say the children of Jhabua are facing acute starvation as their parents have no decent livelihood. Most families have hardly enough to feed themselves.

"Between October and December 2009, 43 children died. Of these, Madrani alone accounts for 30 deaths," said Seema Jain of Madhya Pradesh Lok Sanghash Sajha Manch and Right to Food Campaign.

This year, all the three deaths have been reported from Madrani village. Apart from Diwan’s sister Pushpa, the children who died were four-year-old Sannu and a 12-month-old boy.

The district administration admits malnourishment deaths of children, but claims no one has died since January.

"We have prepared a 15- page report ( on the starvation deaths) and submitted it to the district administration," Jhabua collector Jagdish Sharma said.

The villagers have little access to health facilities, including immunisation for children.

Cases of anaemia in women and children, low birth weight and malnutrition are reported among children of other villages, too, in Meghnagar block.

Little Aarth of Madrani is so weak he can hardly stand. "His right hand doesn't have any grip," his grandfather Faakru said. Despite their meagre resources, Aarth’s family has spent Rs 16,000 on his treatment, but there has been no improvement in his condition.

Health campaigners slam the state health officials for the shocking condition of children.

But health officials say extreme poverty and illiteracy are responsible for the situation.

"Some children have died because of malnourishment in the past. But since January, no death has been reported from the five villages. That's because we took timely action," Meghnagar block health officer Dr Vikram Verma said.

He said health camps had been organised in the villages, but the villagers contested the claim.

"We have never seen a single doctor, aganwadi worker or any other health volunteer visiting our village. They come once a year, but only write some words on the walls of our huts and go away," Motli, who lost her 11-year-old daughter last year, said.

The villagers have no access to jobs, which is making many migrate to other places in search of livelihood. The villagers say they have NREGA cards, but hardly ever get work under the scheme.

"Despite having an NREGA job card, we decided to migrate to Kota in Rajasthan where I work in a stone quarry," said Pintoo of Itawa.

State health minister Anoop Mishra had admitted in the assembly that 1.2 lakh children have died in the past four years, of whom 60 per cent were malnourished.

Attempts were made to contact minister for women and child welfare Ranjana Baghel but she wasn't available.