The Bombay High Court on Monday directed the Nandurbar district collector to remain present in court over the high number of deaths among the tribal population there due to malnutrition and lack of medical facilities.?

A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice M S Karnik was hearing a bunch of public interest litigations filed in 2006 highlighting the high number of deaths of children, pregnant women and lactating mothers due to malnutrition in Melghat region of Maharashtra.

The court was informed that since January 2022 around 400 persons, including 86 children, had died in Nandurbar due to malnutrition and inadequate medical facilities.?

The bench noted that despite directing the collector of Nandurbar to file an affidavit on this last month, no affidavit had been filed.

"In view of this, we require the collector of Nandurbar to remain personally present before this court on September 23," the bench directed.

The court also noted it was not satisfied with the steps and measures proposed to be taken by the Maharashtra government to address the issues being faced by the tribal population in Melghat region.

"We are not satisfied. These steps are just lip service. Half baked information has been provided to us," the court said.

The HC asked the state government to file a better affidavit.

-With PTI Input