NHRC notice to UP govt over reported death of four of family in six yrs due to 'malnutrition'

The NHRC has issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government over a report that a family residing in a village in Basti district has lost four of its members during the last six years allegedly due to malnutrition, officials said on Wednesday. The National Human Rights Commission has observed that the contents of the news report, if true, raise a "serious issue of human rights violation" due to the lack of nutritional diet, adequate medical care and proper means of livelihood.

"Such reported tragic deaths, due to malnutrition and lack of other basic facilities are a matter of concern for it," the rights panel said in a statement.

"The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that a family residing at Ojhaganj village of Basti district in Uttar Pradesh has lost four of its members during the last six years due to malnutrition," it said.

Accordingly, the commission issued a notice to the UP government, through its chief secretary, seeking a detailed report, including the data pertaining to effective implementation of social welfare schemes in the district, it added.