Our experience with Ramshastri Prabhune

Our experience with Ramshastri Prabhune
Today when we see the outer world, running round the clock and hardly have any time for social inclination, being a social animal, one can easily frustrate by this. There are many social minded people who are working for the up liftment of the society and want a little push for the same. It works nicely when we get the desired support from the system which is the rare thing! The same has been happened with the counsellors program in Melghat.
MAHAN and KHOJ which are serving the people of Melghat since many years have started counsellor program in all government hospitals of Melghat from 2007 with the support of honourable collector Dr. Bhapkar, CEO Mutthuswamy and Div. Commissioner Dr. Goyal. It brought significant changes in Govt. hospitals of Melghat, saved many critical lives, many severely malnourished babies were hospitalised and a significant proportion of patients were improved, Hospital deliveries increased. Hospitals are catering care round o’ clock to patients.
But suddenly due to the ill intentions of one corrupt Govt. Officer, the program had been stopped from February 2010 . We tried at our best at all Govt. level from district administration to state secretary level to start the program but all went in vain. The counsellors even went on fasting for few days but there was no success.
At last we took a decision to appear in high court. Then Purnima Upadhyaya as petitioner filed a public interest litigation. We three (Purnima, Bandya and Dr. Ashish Satav) appeared in the high court (Mumbai) and our arguments were given very keen attention by Honourable chief justice JN Patel, Honourable chief justice Mohit Shah and Honorable addl. Chief Justice Mr. Chandrachud. Advocate Gayatrising (Amicus Curiae) helped us free of cost to plead our case. Their approach towards the case showed the concerned for the poor tribal people of Melghat which was the missing part from the Govt. System. It was enough to build a faith of a common man over the Indian Judiciary System. They gave motivating decision about the counsellors program that this program should continue and even recommended that Govt. of Maharashtra should replicate this model.
The counsellor program was restarted. It was proved to be the real victory of a common tribal man. No doubt that the kind consideration and positive approach of honourable justices played an important role to see the things in real context.
Later on, Hon. Chief justice Mohit Shah and Hon. ACJ, Mr. Chandrachud asked us to give suggestions to improve the health system and overall condition of tribal. The suggestions and the recommendations submitted by the
petitioner are taken on record. The respondents will consider the same
and give their response at the next hearing. In the mean time, it is open
for the respondents to consider all such suggestions and those
suggestions which are accepted may be implemented immediately
without waiting for any further orders of this Court. The suggestions and
the recommendations given today as well as the various other
suggestions made by the Non Government Organizations which have
been discussed today shall be considered by the Respondents.
Following significant policy changes were done due to court order.
1. Court ordered that instead of take home ration (prepared by industries), with the consent of gramsabha fresh hot cooked food (prepared by self help group of tribal) should be given to children below the age of 3 years to prevent malnutrition. Due to it, thousands of tribal will get employment and children will get good food.
2. Counsellor program will continue and will be implemented via coordination committee made up of voluntary organizations and government. Extension of counsellors program in district hospital Amravati and sub district hospital Achalpur.
3. Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) as well as old method of grading (I to IV) will be used for classification of malnutrition. It will benefit lakhs of children of Maharashtra.
4. Rajmata Jijau Mother and Child Health and Nutrition Mission should be restarted. This will save lakhs of children and pregnant mothers of Maharashtra.
5. Increment in the funds, number as well as rejuvenation of Village Child Developmental Centres & Child development centres in Maharashtra. It will save thousands of children.
6. The public distribution system (ration shops) should be handed over to the self help groups of tribal instead of commercial private people.
7. Appointment of IAS officer as Integrated Tribal Development Project Officer for eight tribal blocks of four districts, Amravati, Yavatmal, Akola and Nanded, who will be overall incharge (Additional Collector) of tribal areas.
8. Appointment of special nodal officer for coordination of all government schemes of tribal area of Melghat.
9. Formation of district coordination committee of Govt. and voluntary organization for Melghat improvement.
10. MAHAN developed home based child care model to reduce child deaths and malnutrition in Melghat. Due to it the child deaths and malnutrition in 17 villages of Melghat was reduced by more than 50%. Hon. High court asked govt. why not to try this model for whole Melghat. Also the HBNC model of SEARCH should be accepted for whole Melghat.
11. Action against Kharyatembru nurse for her irresponsible negligence leading to death of a severely malnourished child.
12.
Hon. Chief justice of High court have also leave it open to the petitioners to approach the
Taluka Legal Service Committee, Dharni and also the Taluka Legal
Service Committee, Achalpur for generating public awareness about
various welfare Schemes and also for rendering any further assistance
1. which N.G.O.s in the area may require.
These types of recommendations and the implementation over it will really work to improve the health facet of the people of the tribal areas of the state. Thanks to the Indian Judiciary System which is still binding the faith of people for the justice. It reminds us that Ramshastri Prabhune is still existing in India in the form of Honorable Chief Justice Mohit Shah, Honorable Associate Chief Justice Chandrachud and Honorable Chief Justice J. N. Patel.
Thanks to Caring friends for the financial support.