Stating that there are over 1,000 severely malnourished children in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) limits of Bangalore city, Women and Child Development Minister Umashree said she has directed the corporation officials to pull up their socks and attend to this issue on a priority basis.

There is, however, an apprehension that the government is understating the figures, as 17 severely malnourished children were admitted to Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital last week, according to a statement by Dr S Pushpalatha, professor of paediatrics, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute on Tuesday. 

Addressing a news conference here on Thursday, Umashree said, “There are 3,400 malnourished children in the BBMP limits but outside the anganwadis. Of these children, 1,617 are severely malnourished.”

According to her, due to the Women and Child Welfare Department’s efforts 565 children were provided nourishment.

The minister said the malnourished children were found in the slums of D G Halli, Azad Nagar, Pantarpallya, Nayandahalli and surrounding areas. “The living condition was horrible with no sanitation. Garbage and industrial wastes have been dumped in those places. Cleanliness has not been maintained despite bringing it to the notice of the BBMP authorities,” she said.

Umashree alleged that the BBMP has failed to provide space for new anganwadi centres in these places.

However, the minister, revealed that the BBMP Commissioner has agreed to provide lands in these places and also to bear 50 per cent of the cost of construction of these anganwadi centres. “As a temporary measure, the malnourished children would be accommodated in a primary health centre at D G Halli. Still they need to open 40 new anganwadi centres for malnourished children,” Umashree said.

More Beds

She said the number of beds at nutrition rehabilitation centres at Bowring, Vani Vilas, K C General and other government hospitals would be increased to treat the severely malnourished children. “The BBMP officials was asked to provide syrup and other medicines to malnourished children. The Department of Women and Child Welfare would take care of providing them nutritious food,” she said.

The minister said the government has been providing a daily allowance of `150 to parents of malnourished children as they need to admit their wards to nutrition rehabilitation centres for at least 15 days. “Besides, they were given `150 as transportation charges,” she said.