'Deaths of children can't go on in Bihar,' says SC on encephalitis outbreak in Muzaffarpur; state says 'under control' after nearly 130 kids die
FirstpostThe Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Bihar government, seeking an explanation on the death of some 130 children due to encephalitis in Muzaffarpur. The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the Bihar government, seeking a detailed explanation on the death of nearly 130 children in Muzaffarpur district due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome. The government has to take action,” the vacation bench of Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice BR Gavai said, directing the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar to inform the court about the steps taken to check the death of children due to encephalitis in Muzaffarpur. “The deaths of children are a direct result of negligence and inaction on the part of the respective state governments of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Union of India in handling the epidemical situation that arises every year due to the outbreak of encephalitis,” the plea said, adding that thousands of young children were losing their lives yearly from the disease, but governments had done nothing to prevent its spread.