HC moved to ensure nutrition of infants, pregnant women

Cuttack: The Orissa high court has sought a response from the state government on a PIL seeking its intervention in ensuring the nutritional requirement of infants and pregnant mothers in 12 districts during the Covid-19 pandemic. Social activist Prafulla Samantara filed the PIL contending that these districts have a high prevalence of stunting, child wasting and underweight children due to malnutrition.
The 12 districts are Bargarh, Balangir, Boudh, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Keonjhar, Koraput, Malkangiri, Mayurbhanj, Nabarangpur, Nuapada and Rayagada.These districts need immediate attention to mitigate the suffering of children and pregnant mothers, which, if not attended to, will further aggravate during the pandemic, Samantara said.
Immediate intervention into the nutritional requirements of children and pregnant mothers in these districts will alleviate hunger and related deformities, the social activist said in his petition. Lawyer Iswar Mohanty argued the case for Samantara when his petition was taken up for hearing through video conference on Friday.
The division bench of Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq and Justice Biswanath Rath issued notices to the state government. The petition has sought the court’s direction to the state government to submit the action taken report with regard to the steps taken to ensure mid-day meals for children during the lockdown.
Owing to the lockdown and subsequent closure of government schools and hostels, it is important to assess the situation of the delivery of mid-day meals to the children, which were being provided through the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), the petition said.
The petition also sought direction to provide food security to the vulnerable and poorer sections of the society, including non-ration card holders in the state. The court ordered for hearing of the petition along with another pending PIL for relief to the people who do not have ration cards and are in distress.