MUMBAI, March 27 -- Despite more than two decades of hearings on child and maternal deaths due to malnutrition in the Melghat region of Maharashtra, the situation on ground remains largely unchanged, the Bombay High Court observed on Thursday. "Babies are dying of malnutrition. If you see the photographs, you'll only see ribs and bones," a division bench of justices Ravindra Ghuge and Abhay Mantri said. Continued child and maternal deaths were a reminder of the state government's failure to ensure access to food and provide basic medical care to the "needy" in the tribal-dominated region, the judges said. During the hearing, Dr Ashish Satav, one of the petitioners who has been working in Melghat for more than 26 years, highlighted gaps in awareness about nutrition, shortage of funds for district hospitals, and nutrition and preventive care. "Despite years of putting forward recommendations in the matter, no action has been taken. We are paying out of our pockets for treatment of patients. The authorities have made a mockery out of the situation. They are not serious about this," Dr Satav said. In response, additional government pleader Bhupesh Samant submitted that the government had taken steps to improve healthcare and it would further consider the suggestions put forth by Dr Satav. "They can't say we haven't done anything. We are trying to save people in Melghat. Despite our efforts, we are falling short of their expectations," he said. Dissatisfied with the state's submissions, the court said, "Thousands of lives are lost. Babies are dying. What do you mean by you're trying to save them?" The matter first came to the high court in 1993, justice Ghuge said, while highlighting the need for immediate steps. "My tenure as a judge is coming to an end but the hospital is still not there," he remarked.Decades ago, a 300-bedded hospital was announced in Dharni, but it had not materialised yet, the court said. "...heaps of papers and reports are being submitted but not one brick has been laid for the hospital yet," the court said. It directed the state government take a decision on commening a 300-bedded hospital and posted the matter for hearing on April 15....