[Hunger Alert] INDIA: Fourteen children may die soon due to malnutrition in Varanasi

29 May 2008
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INDIA: Fourteen children may die soon due to malnutrition in Varanasi

ISSUES: Right to food; malnutrition; government neglect; corruption
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CASE DETAILS:

Sahabuddin is the youngest son of Mr. Mohammad Idrish. Sahabuddin had been suffering from malnutrition. He is aged two years and weighs only six kilos. In spite of the PVCHR informing the district administration regarding his condition, until today, the administration has not provided any relief to Sahabuddin or to his family.

Sahabuddin's father, Mr. Mohammad Idrish, is a handloom weaver. Earlier, Idrish was working with his own loom. But due to poverty and the decline of handloom as an industry Idrish had to sell his loom, bicycle and other possessions for the treatment of his children who were all suffering from malnutrition. Now Idrish is working with his neighbor Mohammad Munir. But due to the decline of the handloom industry Idrish finds it difficult to get regular employment.

Idrish's eight-year-old son, Mainuddin, had to work as a child labour who is doing embroidery work on saris. From this he earns Rupees 150 (3.5 USD) in a month. To make things worse the local Village Council has said that Idrish's family had been considered above poverty line. Due to this the family had been issued with an Above Poverty Line Ration Card (APL Card). With this card (card number 253860) the family cannot obtain any food grains at subsidised price from the state-run Public Distribution Shops (PDS shops).

Since birth Sahabuddin's life was very hard. Soon after his birth he lost eyesight to his left eye. Since the family had been living in abject poverty, Sahabuddin has not able to obtain any nutritious food. The family even had no money to travel even to a nearby primary health centre for him to obtain any treatment through the centre.

On 12 April 2008, the doctor at the primary health centre, who had examined Sahabuddin, referred him to the Shiv Prasad Gupta District hospital. At the district hospital, he was again referred to the Banaras Hindu University Medical College in Varanasi. But his parents could not take him to the medical college since they have no more money.

On 14 May 2008, a staff associated with the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), Ms. Renuka Srivastava, diagnosed Sahabuddin to have been suffering from Grade III level malnutrition. Ms. Srivastava then referred Sahabuddin to the District Hospital. For time being, Sahabuddin's parents came in contact with the staffs associated with the PVCHR. The PVCHR took Sahabuddin to the hospital for medical attention and that they have been presently taking care of him. The persons associated with the PVCHR had also gone to the extent of donating blood to Sahabuddin only to save his life. The PVCHR had also informed the district as well as state administrations concerning the boy's condition, but the administration did nothing so far to help either him or his family.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Sahabuddin's case is a typical example of the life of the poor in India. Thirteen children in the same area where Sahabuddin's family lives in Dhannipur village faces similar situation.

They are: two-and-half-year-old Ahmad Raza (7.1 kilo), three-and-half-year-old Imran (8.2 kilo), four-year-old Gulfam (7 kilo), four-month-old Sahil Raza (4 kilo), one-and-half-year-old Mohammad Imran (3 kilo), one-year-old Noor Mohammad (3.6 kilo), three-year-old Soni (8 kilo), three-year-old Shalmeen (6.5 kilo), five-year-old Sahiba (7 kilo), four-month-old Shabeena Bano (2.5 kilo), two-year-old Saheena Parveen (2.9 kilo), two-year-old Mohammad Israq (3.2 kilo) and six-month-old Noukhta Hasan (2.9 kilo).

The parents of these children went to meet with District Magistrate of Varanasi on 24 May 2008. Till today no action is taken by the administration to address the situation of these children or their families.

For supporting the victims of malnutrition and hunger the Uttar Pradesh government have issued a directive on 24 December, 2004 signed by the then Chief Secretary Mr. Vinod Kumar Mittal to every district administration. This directive requires every Village Council in the state to form a committee for hunger and malnutrition. The committee also is issued an emergency fund. The committee is supposed to work vigilantly. Where ever a credible case of starvation is documented, the family or the person suffering from starvation is to be provided immediate financial help of Rupees 1000 (25 USD).

Due to corruption in government and public services and caste based discrimination in India any help that ought to reach the poor never find them. This case is just one more example.

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please send a letter to the authorities mentioned below expressing your concern about this case and calling for an immediate investigation.

Sample letter:

Dear __________,

INDIA: Please save the fourteen children suffering from malnutrition in Dhannipur village of Uttar Pradesh

Name of the victims:
1. Sahabuddin, aged two years, son of Mr. Mohammad Idrish, resident of Dhannipur village, under jurisdiction of Kashi Vidya Peeth Development Block, Varanasi district, Uttar Pradesh
2. Ahmad Raza, two-and-half-year-old (weighing 7.1 kilos)
3. Imran, three-and-half-year-old (8.2 kilo)
4. Gulfam, four-year-old (7 kilo)
5. Sahil Raza, four-month-old, (4 kilo)
6. Mohammad Imran, four-month-old (3 kilo)
7. Noor Mohammad, one-year-old (3.6 kilo)
8. Soni, three-year-old (8 kilo)
9. Shalmeen, three-year-old (6.5 kilo)
10. Sahiba, five-year-old (7 kilo)
11. Shabeena Bano, four-month-old (2.5 kilo)
12. Saheena Parveen, two-year-old (2.9 kilo)
13. Mohammad Israq, two-year-old (3.2 kilo)
14. Noukhta Hasan, six-month-old (2.9 kilo)
Responsible authorities:
1. Village Council of Dhannipur, under the jurisdiction of Kashi Vidya Peeth Development Block, Varanasi district, Uttar Pradesh
2. Integrated Child Development Scheme Centre of Dhannipur, under the jurisdiction of Kashi Vidya Peeth Development Block, Varanasi district, Uttar Pradesh
Place of incident: Dhannipur, under the jurisdiction of Kashi Vidya Peeth Development Block, Varanasi district, Uttar Pradesh

I am writing to express my concern regarding the living condition of Sahabuddin, a two-year-old child who is reportedly suffering from Grade III malnutrition from Dhannipur village in Kashi Vidya Peeth Development Block, Varanasi district, Uttar Pradesh. I am informed that Sahabuddin's family is extremely poor and is unable to provide Sahabuddin adequate treatment or other medical care to save his life. I am informed that Sahabuddin is currently taken care of by a local nongovernmental organisation in Varanasi, the People's Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR).

I am informed that the PVCHR though has contacted the Varanasi district administration as well as the state government, thus far no assistance has been provided to Sahabuddin or his family. I am also informed that Sahabuddin is not the only child suffering from malnutrition in Dhannipur.

Thirteen other children namely: two-and-half-year-old Ahmad Raza (7.1 kilo), three-and-half-year-old Imran (8.2 kilo), four-year-old Gulfam (7 kilo), four-month-old Sahil Raza (4 kilo), one-and-half-year-old Mohammad Imran (3 kilo), one-year-old Noor Mohammad (3.6 kilo), three-year-old Soni (8 kilo), three-year-old Shalmeen (6.5 kilo), five-year-old Sahiba (7 kilo), four-month-old Shabeena Bano (2.5 kilo), two-year-old Saheena Parveen (2.9 kilo), two-year-old Mohammad Israq (3.2 kilo) and six-month-old Noukhta Hasan (2.9 kilo).

The current weight of the children, mentioned in parenthesis, shows that they are all malnourished and requires immediate assistance.

I am concerned about such state of affairs in Uttar Pradesh, particularly in Varanasi. I feel sorry for the children who suffer from malnutrition in a country that has declared itself of having achieved enviable growth rate and believed to be self sufficient in its food grain stocks. I am informed that such states of affairs are the result of corruption, which I am told is prevalent in India.

I therefore urge you to immediately intervene in this situation, first to take all possible steps to ensure the life of Sahabuddin is saved and also that of the other 13 children whose names are mentioned above.

Yours sincerely,

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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:

1. Ms. Mayawati
Chief Minister
Chief Minister's Secretariat
Lucknow
Uttar Pradesh
INDIA
Fax: + 91 522 223 0002 / 223 9234
E-mail: csup@up.nic.in

2. Ms. Meira Kumar
Minister, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
Sardar Patel Bhawan
Sansad Marg
New Delhi - 110 001
INDIA
Fax: + 91 11 23742133
E-mail: ddpg2-arpg@nic.in

3. The Director
Department of Women Welfare & Child Development,
Government of Uttar Pradesh,
Jawahar Bhawan, Ashok Marg,
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
INDIA
Fax: +91 522 228 6140

4. Commissioner
Varanasi Division
Kutchahry, Varanasi
Uttar Pradesh
INDIA
Fax: +91-542-2282345
Email: commvar@up.nic.in

5. Regional Director
World Food Programme
Unit No. 2, 7th Floor, Wave Place Building
55 Wireless Road
Lumpini, Patumwan
Bangkok 10330
THAILAND
Fax: +66 2 655 4413

6. Country Director
World Food Programme
2 Poorvi Marg, Vasant Vihar,
New Delhi 110057
INDIA
Fax: +91 112 615 0019
E-mail: wfp.newdelhi@wfp.org

Thank you.