The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued a notice to the Madhya Pradesh government on Wednesday over the death of 116 children due to malnutrition in the last five months in Sheopur district.
The administration, however, seems to be dealing with an acute shortage of resources for the malnutritioned children. There are three nutrition rehabilitation centres in Sheopur district. The centres can accommodate 80 children at a time, but there are more than 400 children in these centres now.
"We have admitted children with severe acute malnourishment in the Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres (NRCs) and those who need care were sent to Day Care Centres as the volume of children has increased," Chambal division commissioner Shivanand Dubey was quoted as saying by the Times of India.
"The administration is doing everything possible, but a collective effort is needed and other departments should also gear up for the same," Dubey added. He also said that mothers were not feeding babies as they are themselves unhealthy.
The centres are also dealing with high rates of infection as they are overcrowded and lack basic sanitation facilities.
"We have been assured by Maneka Gandhi that a report in the matter will reach Delhi on Monday and we are sure that a central team would take cognisance of the grim situation in Sheopur," said Congress MLA Ramniwas Rawat.
