The Madhya Pradesh High Court has sought an explanation from the state government and administrative authorities following allegations that infectious diseases have claimed the lives of more than 30 children in Balaghat district.
A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Vivek Rusia and Justice Pradeep Mittal issued formal notices to the state health department, the women and child development department, and the Balaghat district collector, scheduling the next hearing for September 18.
On-Site Inspection Ordered by Court
The court issued notices after reviewing a ground assessment report and accompanying affidavit filed on Wednesday by petitioner Anshul Tiwari, a resident of Narsinghpur district. Tiwari had initially approached the high court through a public interest litigation grounded in newspaper accounts of child fatalities in Balaghat.
During a preliminary hearing last week, the bench observed that relying exclusively on media coverage was unacceptable for such legal action. The judges instructed the petitioner to personally tour the affected localities, verify the situation, and submit a firsthand factual appraisal. Advocates Abhishek Pandey and Atul Shukla, representing Tiwari, informed the court that the on-site verification had been completed.
Contaminated Water and Severe Malnutrition
According to the petitioner’s report, local handpumps in the impacted areas were discharging yellowish drinking water. The submission further noted that women and children had not received scheduled nutritional support for several months, while extensive unsanitary conditions and accumulating filth had fueled disease outbreaks that led to ongoing child fatalities.
The petition also detailed severe strain on local healthcare infrastructure, alleging that approximately 400 sick children were being treated in a medical facility with a capacity of only 50 beds, leaving patients without adequate medical care.
Administrative Measures and Political Reaction
The petitioner stated that the district administration intensified interventions only after the death toll exceeded 30. Local authorities subsequently increased hospital beds and stepped up sanitation, cleanliness, and public health services in the affected villages.
