Go Hungry, Baby

A faulty system deprives almost two-thirds of Bihar’s children of supplementary nutrition, leaving them malnourished and prone to diseases

- Sravani Sarkar/Vaishali & Patna

It is early morning, but heat and humidity hang heavily over the Musahar settlement of Manjhi Tola of Harivanshpur panchayat, Vaishali district. As we make our way to the house of Sunny Kumari, one of the seven children in the panchayat who died in the Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) outbreak in June, what is more oppressive is the destitution enveloping every individual, especially kids. Naked and mudcaked children—many of them with obvious signs of malnourishment like shrunken limbs, dilated stomach and discoloured hair—dot the settlement, mostly in the care of slightly older sisters. A few roam around aimlessly, while others eat whatever they have—from dry, leftover chapatis to palm fruits and rice soaked in water. Three lucky ones, however, happily munch on mini snack packages, probably from a roadside kiosk.

About a kilometre away, in anganwadi number 91, helper Sona Devi claims she has made khichdi for children—providing a “hot cooked meal” is part of the supplementary nutrition programme of the Integrated Child Development Services. But a peek into her aluminum vessel reveals nothing more than boiled rice, just enough for seven children. There is not even dal. In the outer room, nine girls wait for this “nutritious diet”. None of them is from Manjhi Tola, even though the settlement falls under the anganwadi’s jurisdiction. Sona defends the meagre quantity of food, saying not many children visit the centre, but she is unable to explain the menu.