Dipke demands action against officials over 30 child deaths in MP's Balaghat

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) convenor Abhijit Dipke on Saturday visited tribal villages in Madhya Pradesh's Balaghat district to meet families who recently lost their children to infectious diseases and demanded accountability from the administration.

Accompanied by local youth, Dipke travelled to Adori, Korka, and Bondari villages to gather details on local healthcare facilities and the circumstances surrounding the child deaths.

Dipke’s visit comes days after the Madhya Pradesh High Court issued notices to the state government over the deaths of more than 30 children, allegedly due to infectious diseases, after a PIL alleged overcrowded hospitals, contaminated drinking water, and lack of nutrition in the district.

Speaking to reporters, Dipke said, "We completely sympathise with families who have lost their children and will definitely come forward to ensure justice for them."

He questioned the administration's inaction, claiming that while the authorities had accepted the number of deaths, it had neither fixed responsibility nor taken action against any official.

"We have come only to fix responsibility and accountability," he said.

Earlier this week, the Jabalpur bench of the high court sought a response from the state government over the deaths of more than 30 children allegedly due to infectious diseases in Balaghat district.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Vivek Rusia and Justice Pradeep Mittal issued notices to the state Health Department, Women and Child Development Department, Balaghat collector and others while hearing a public interest litigation.

The PIL alleged that children were not receiving adequate treatment and that around 400 children were being treated at a hospital with a capacity of 50 beds.

It also claimed that yellow-coloured water was coming from handpumps in the affected areas and that children and women had not received nutritious food on time for several months.