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.