Against the backdrop of the deaths of over 150 children, mostly from impoverished families, due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES), the Bihar government has now issued instructions to District Magistrates to ensure that families of AES victims and those susceptible to the syndrome get ration. Doctors had attributed the AES deaths to malnutrition, besides heat and humidity. The missive issued by additional secretary Bharat Kumar Dubey said, “There is an urgent need to avail ration to AES-affected and susceptible families in different things without fail”. Authorities were directed to ensure that families covered under Food Security Act get ration.
