Deaths Of 22 Tribal Children In MP Spark Row Over Malnutrition
Twenty-two tribal children from MP's Baiga community have died recently, with the opposition alleging serious lapses in healthcare and disease prevention (Akanoop Creative Commons Attribution)
The deaths of 22 tribal children from the Baiga community in Madhya Pradesh’s Balaghat district have triggered a political controversy, with the Congress demanding an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the deaths and alleging serious lapses in healthcare, nutrition and disease prevention.
Madhya Pradesh Adivasi Congress president Vikrant Bhuria on Monday, 24 August, called for a special committee to investigate the deaths. He also raised concerns over the reported deaths of tribal students following an alleged snakebite incident at a hostel in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district.
Bhuria alleged that several government welfare and healthcare measures meant to support tribal communities had fallen short. “Here, the nutritional meals delivered to homes have been stopped for the last six months. The nearest primary health centre is 20 km away,” he said.
He further claimed that forest rights granted to tribal families had been cancelled and that vaccination coverage in the affected area was below 80 per cent.
The deaths have also prompted protests from tribal organisations. Members of the Sarv Adivasi Samaj staged a rally on Sunday evening, demanding compensation of Rs 1 crore for each bereaved family and strict action against officials allegedly responsible for failures in healthcare and disease prevention.
The Madhya Pradesh government has announced compensation of Rs 20,000 for each bereaved family. Questioning the amount, Bhuria said, “Is the life of an Adivasi worth only Rs 20,000?”
Bhuria said he had raised the issue in the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly and sought information on government spending to combat malnutrition in tribal blocks and projects between 2020 and 2025.
According to him, the government’s response raised further concerns. “The response was extremely concerning. The government said malnourished children are being provided a nutritional meal worth only Rs 12 a day,” he said.
He also alleged that the Women and Child Development Department had not made a separate budgetary provision for the nutritional programme in tribal blocks.
The Congress leader also targeted the BJP-led Maharashtra government over conditions at a tribal hostel in Gadchiroli. He alleged that more than 70 girls had been forced to sleep in a single room because the hostel did not have enough beds.
“The shocking thing is that the tribal hostel did not even have enough beds, and more than 70 girls were forced to sleep on the floor in a single room,” Bhuria said. He claimed that six girls were hospitalised following the alleged snakebite incident and that three subsequently died.
Bhuria also said a student hunger strike in Nashik was continuing over conditions in tribal hostels, with protesters seeking better facilities and improved living conditions.
“A special committee should be formed to investigate the deaths of tribal children in Balaghat, and action should be taken against officials found responsible,” he said.
Government data cited in recent reports indicate continuing nutritional challenges among children in the region. Of 1,149 children under six screened at 28 Anganwadi centres in July, 213 were classified as moderately underweight and 18 as severely underweight.
Officials said 125 children had subsequently recovered and been discharged, while several others remained under treatment.
The deaths and the ensuing protests have intensified scrutiny of the implementation of nutrition and healthcare programmes in tribal areas, as political parties and tribal organisations demand greater accountability from authorities.
