Balaghat child deaths: CJP convenor demands accountability

Abhijit Dipke, convenor of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), visited tribal villages in the Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh to meet families who recently lost children to infectious diseases. During his visit to Adori, Korka, and Bondari villages, Dipke assessed local healthcare facilities and demanded accountability from the administration, stating that no officials have been held responsible despite the acknowledged death toll.

The visit follows a public interest litigation (PIL) that prompted the Madhya Pradesh High Court to issue notices to the state Health Department, the Women and Child Development Department, and the Balaghat collector. The PIL alleges that more than 30 children have died due to infectious diseases and highlights severe systemic issues, including overcrowded hospitals where approximately 400 children are reportedly being treated in a facility with only 50 beds. Additional allegations in the petition include contaminated yellow-colored water from handpumps and inadequate nutrition for women and children in the region.