Maharashtra gets an earful for not posting doctors in Melghat

The Bombay high court on Wednesday came down heavily on the state for not posting any doctors in tribal areas of Melghat, causing hardships to the people who have to travel 200 kilometres to Amravati for any kind of emergency.

A division bench of justices DY Chandrachud and AA Sayyed said, “We want action by the state or we will issue a contempt notice against secretaries of all departments which are supposed to act.”

The bench gave the state two weeks to post doctors — gynaecologist, radiologist and anaesthesiologist — in Melghat. The judges said, “For heaven’s sake, send doctors to the area. The protests that take place in the areas against the state are not a law and order problem but are due to lack of infrastructure.”

The court suggested to the state that it should post doctors who have given a bond to the government stating they will work in tribal areas. “Why is the state government protecting them? If they have signed the bond, it’s their duty to practice in rural areas.”

Purnima Upadhyay of NGO Khoj, who has filed a petition in the high court highlighting the problems of malnourishment in the tribal district of Melghat, told the HC that of the 4,000 deaths, 3,060 are of children aged  one and under.

Additional government pleader Neha Bhide said she will call upon all the officers concerned and take instructions and address each and every issue raised before the court in detail. The court then adjourned the hearing till July 15.

It, however, said, “We are thoroughly dissatisfied with the inaction on part of the government; it’s difficult to understand how the state goes on with such affairs.”