Sanitation woes

Emphasising the medically proven links between malnutrition and sanitation, Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh has sought the Prime Minister’s support in sustaining a hike in the 12th Five Year Plan’s allocation for drinking water and sanitation. A key cause of child undernutrition is a sub-clinical disorder of the small intestine, called tropical enteropathy. This disorder has a higher effect in stunting a child’s growth than an inadequate diet or diarrhoea.