Bombay High Court raps Maharashtra over Melghat malnutrition deaths

The Bombay High Court has expressed deep anguish over the continuing deaths of infants due to malnutrition in Melghat’s tribal belt and pulled up the Maharashtra government for its failure to implement previous directions. In a detailed order, passed on Tuesday (November 18, 2025) and made available on Thursday (November 20, 2025), the court directed the State to file affidavits from Principal Secretaries of key departments within a week and asked senior officials to appear before it via video conference on the next hearing.

The Division Bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Sandesh D. Patil was hearing a public interest litigation filed in 2007 by Rajendra Sadanand Burma and another petitioner. The matter was urgently circulated after the petitioners informed the court that “about 65 children between 0-6 months from June, 2025 till date, have died due to malnutrition.”

The judges noted that despite an earlier order dated July 29, 2025, directing parties to submit a joint report on steps to tackle malnutrition, “the same has not been done till today.”

The Bench observed, “Considering what is stated in the affidavit, we find that the State Government has a lot to put in place. We, therefore, direct the State Government to file affidavits of the respective departments within one week from today. The affidavits to be filed by the respective Principal Secretaries of the concerned Departments.”

Disturbing ground realities

The petitioners’ affidavit dated October 16, 2025, paints a grim picture of healthcare and infrastructure in Melghat. It recounts how the Raipur Sub-Centre in Chikhaldara was shut for three months, resulting in the death of Sugati Ghode, who could not receive timely treatment.

In Hathras village, a child was delivered at midnight under the torchlight of a mobile phone because there was no electricity and no medical help. Another woman, Rupali Dhande, seven months pregnant, died en route to Dharni hospital after delivering at home without assistance. Roads between Bairagad and Dharni were described as being in such poor condition that a woman went into labour during transit and delivered in a vehicle jolted by potholes.

The affidavit also alleges that “despite several recommendations being made by Dr. Abhay Bang Committee, the said recommendations have not been implemented in its true spirit and that no action has been taken by the State Government despite several orders being passed by this Court.”

Systemic collapse

The document highlights a cascade of failures: twelve people died in Koylari and Pasdongari after water supply schemes collapsed due to electricity disconnections, forcing villagers to drink polluted water. About 365 villages remain without electricity, and solar systems installed at health centres have been dysfunctional for five months. The affidavit states that Maharashtra spends only 0.4% of its income on healthcare, with per capita expenditure dropping from ₹975 in 2019 to even lower in 2024–25.

Vacant posts plague the health system, 60% of Primary Health Centres have no regular doctors, and sanctioned posts for medical officers and health workers remain unfilled. Mobile medical vans are non-functional for want of spare parts and funds. Schemes meant to support pregnant women, such as Matrutva Anudan Yojana, have not disbursed payments for five years, leaving 250–300 women without assistance. The affidavit further notes that despite ₹5,000 crore being released under the Poshan Abhiyaan since 2017, Maharashtra has utilized only half the amount, with NITI Aayog flagging lapses.

The petitioners also allege irregularities in the NGO sector, claiming that while 380 NGOs are shown on paper, only 20 are functional, raising concerns of fund misuse. Infrastructure remains neglected—only 60% of roads have been constructed, and most have not been maintained for two decades. The Comptroller and Auditor General’s strictures for failing to provide basic health needs have gone unheeded, and promises made in the Assembly remain unfulfilled. Even a court order from December 2001 directing the construction of an ultramodern hospital at Dharni has not been implemented.

Court’s observations

The Bench termed the nutrition allocation under Anganwadi services “paltry,” observing, “Needless to state, that the amount which is reflected in para 26 of the affidavit was revised in the year 2017 and is a paltry amount which definitely needs reconsideration and enhancement.”

It further remarked, “It appears that despite several orders passed by this Court, no serious steps are being taken by the concerned departments to address the issues in question and hence, we request the Principal Secretaries of all the concerned departments i.e. Tribal Affairs, Public Health, Finance, Women and Child and PWD to appear before us on the next date through V.C.”

The Union of India has also been directed to file its affidavit within a week and respond to earlier observations from November 1, 2018.

Published – November 21, 2025 05:48 am IST