A Division Bench of Chief Justice
Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice SS Magadum was hearing a plea filed in 2011, seeking to identify and aid all children suffering from moderate to severe malnutrition in the State.
Taking the seriousness of the issue into consideration, the Court suggested that the backward districts of the State be identified so that frequent health assessment for all children may be carried out.
The Court opined that a separate committee will have to be formulated for this purpose. In this regard, the Court directed government pleader Vikram Huilgol and Advocate Clifton D'Rozario to come up with recommendations for the constitution of the said committee.
During the hearing, Rozario informed the Court that North Karnataka had the highest figures of malnutrition in the State. In the southern districts, certain communities such as the Adivasis witnessed huge numbers of malnourished children.
Relying on a newspaper article, Rozario had earlier invited the attention of the Court to the rampant figures of malnourished children and mothers in the State.
He had submitted that since March, the State had not been assessing the number of malnourished children. In order to better the situation, he proposed the conduct of medical camps and initiation of treatment protocols.
The matter will be next heard on January 8, 2021.