CALCUTTA: Two hundred and thirty sick destitute were admitted yesterday [Oct 20] to different hospitals in Calcutta and suburbs. There were 90 deaths of such cases in hospitals and 62 such persons were discharged during the day.

[Meanwhile, as reported from Westminster] The House of Lords yesterday [Oct 20] held a debate on the food situation in India. The Earl of Huntingdon (Labour) asked Govt. whether they had any further statement to make regarding the famine conditions in certain provinces in India, and what steps would be taken to relieve the situation. He quoted published figures of starvation cases and deaths in Calcutta, and said that in country districts mortality figures were difficult to get, but the famine was acute.

“In fact,” he said, “the straggling of starving people into the cities is, I understand, one of the gravest complications to be faced by the authorities. I have no wish to give any more of these harrowing figures, which are enough, I think, to confirm the dreadful stories of starvation and misery which are coming from India today, especially the Deccan, Cochin, Travancore, and particularly Bengal.”

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2018