New Delhi: The Supreme Court today reserved its judgement on a petition seeking directions to provide healthcare facilities and food to children and lactating mothers as the Anganwadis have shut down due to the covid 19 pandemic.
The bench comprising of Justice Ashok Bhushan, Justice R Subhash Reddy and Justice MR Shah heard the plea. Earlier they had asked the centre and the state governments to file an affidavit regarding guidelines on operating Anganwadis during the pandemic.
Today Senior Advocate, Collin Gonsalves, submitted before the court though the National Food Security Act makes it mandatory to supply nutrition and mid-day meal per day, it is not being done so. He argued that lactating mothers are given take-home ration instead of a hot cooked meal. One chooda packet worth Rs 75 is given to them in 15 days which comes to the expense of Rs 5 per day. This is what the mighty government gives with all resources, added Gonsalves.
However, it was opposed by ASG Aishwarya Bhati who said that Rs 5 argument is incorrect, the calories have to be seen. Moreover, Rs 9-16 is being spent per day as approved by the Finance Committee.
Gonsalves said that food needs to go to people, starvation deaths have increased across the states. The NHRC study and recommendation is to restart the Anganwadis immediately. Citing NHRC figures, Gonsalves submitted that 38 per cent of children in India are stunted, 20% wasted and more than half are anaemic. He also cited National Family Health Survey data according to which child mortality rate has decreased, malnutrition has risen.
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As per ASG Bhati, 719 Anganwadis in Andaman and Nicobar, more than 12000 in Chhattisgarh, more than 1200 in Goa, Anganwadis have opened. She said that all states have been implementing guidelines but opening all Anganwadis immediately can be catastrophic as the pandemic has not gone yet. Accepting that there are some shortcomings, Bhati said that the government is implementing the guidelines.
State of Bihar and Assam told the court they have not opened up Anganwadi as of yet but nutrition is being supplied. In Punjab, more than 27,000 Anganwadis have been opened.
The court reserved its order after hearing the states and the petitioner.
