CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF FOOD PATTERN AND CAUSES OF MALNUTRITIONAL DEATHS OF GOND AND KORKU TRIBES INHABITING IN VIDARBHA REGION, INDIA-AN ETHNOBOTANICAL APPROACH.

 Tribal of Vidarbha region in India particularly Gond & Korku tribes use Unconventional food from their surrounding due to unavalibility of staple foods used by urban people. As they live in remote areas from the cities and the atmospheric conditions prevailing in tribal areas supports growth of these unconventional foods. According to District health Department the registered cases of Malnutrition deaths in Vidarbha region are in III and IV category. Being utterly poor and due to lack of employment, they even neglect the pregnant women and their children face problems of being taken to hospital, giving rise to child deaths. The root cause of deaths due to malnutrition may be due to inadequate amount of food consumed by tribal or due to lack of balanced diet or it also be due to lack of basic nutrients present in the  type of food they consumed. Due to legislative prohibition, hunting of deer, sambar, monkey, and rabbits etc. are restricted which also serves as one of the major factors for malnourishment. Unhygienic conditions and superstations prevailing in tribal results in prenatal, neonatal and postnatal deaths of women as well as infant mortality and growth.