Colombo, Sri Lanka: Research shows that the rate of malnutrition is on the increase among the children in the upcountry plantation sectors. It has been found that malnutriation is prevalent in areas such as Nuwara Eliya, Matale, Kandy, Badulla and Ratnapura where estate people live in large numbers.

Poverty and lack of awareness about nutrition are the main causes for the malnutrition. There are no plans to alleviate the poverty among the estate people. As a result, the children of the estate population fall ill and are unable to proceed with their studies.

It is important that pregnant women must eat proper food for the health of the children the bear, but the earning of the estate workers is hardly sufficient to meet this demand. Even the dispensaries in the estates aren’t adequately equipped to offer any guidance to the pregnant mother.

While the villages and the towns are developing in the hill country, the estate areas are in a backward state. There is no development at all in the estate sector. Neither the government, nor the Non-governmental organizations show any concern for the unfortunate estate population.

It is a matter of regret that the leadership of the estate population does not seem to take any meaningful steps to ensure the health of the future generation. The leadership has a vital role to play.

An English translation of the Editorial in Virakesari, a Tamil daily,based in Colombo

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